Bridges to the future

Patrick van Veen, behavioral biologist and founder of his own consultancy, opened the conference with a fascinating look at how primate behavior mirrors human workplace dynamics.

Biology meets business

Drawing on his background in social biology and years of corporate experience, Patrick explained how understanding ape social structures can help leaders improve communication, recognize problems early, and build stronger teams. 

Thanks to Patrick van Veen and Apemanagement for an entertaining and thought-provoking addition to the conference.

Job Kuijpers, founder of EYE Security and former head of the Dutch intelligence cyber program, outlined the scale of state-sponsored attacks and why traditional prevention strategies no longer work.

The threat is massive

Governments, criminal networks, and individuals now have access to powerful hacking tools that are inexpensive, widely available, and easy to deploy from anywhere in the world.

Organizations will be breached

The price of cyber insurance has fallen, but cyber-attacks surged last year. Expect insurers to tighten requirements.

Thanks to Job Kuijpers from EYE Security for this wake-up call. 

John Shane, Zurich's Global Head of Claims, outlined how the modernized European Product Liability Directive will reshape liability in the digital age. 

Software is now a product

If a smart device gets hacked, companies can be held liable. This leaves more people susceptible to being sued, as if the original manufacturer can’t be reached, online marketplaces and fulfillment providers are next in line.

Proving fault just got easier 

Judges can order companies to hand over internal documents before the plaintiff presents their case. Failure to cooperate means the product is presumed defective. For insurers, this means more claims, higher values, and class actions backed by litigation funders across Europe. 

The question remains whether software damage falls under product liability or cyber policies.

Thanks to John Shane from Zurich Insurance for this essential update.

In this session, our panel explored how AI adoption varies across markets in European countries.

AI adoption: from cautious to accelerated
AI adoption varies dramatically across the region. Belgium takes a conservative approach, the Netherlands accelerates quickly toward integrated workflows, and Sweden leads with cutting-edge solutions.

The future is transparent
While 2026 renewals brought relief, soft markets risk complacency. The panel agreed: success depends on sharing data openly. From brokers to reinsurers, working from the same information builds trust and enables smarter decisions around pricing, claims, and performance metrics.

Thanks to Matthew Serck (ADD), Bastiaan Krol (Meijers), Roland Goldman (Soderberg & Partners), and Michel Shaft (Marshberry) for this insightful discussion. 

Andrew Bonwick from Relm outlined where the opportunities—and gaps—lie for insurers.

The coverage gap

The space industry has transformed from government-dominated to venture-backed, creating massive opportunities for insurers, as only 7% of satellites are insured. Traditional space insurance covers large satellites with longer lifespans, but the real value is in downstream data and analytics. This leaves emerging space risks and costly launch delays largely uninsured.

Insurance as an enabler

The opportunity is clear: help risky innovators build resilience, and you unlock an entire sector. The traditional space insurance must adapt to this new world. 

Thanks to Andrew Bonwick from Relm for this fascinating look at the final frontier!

Heleen Vaandrager from Soderberg & Partners explained what companies need to do to comply.

The current pay gap
In the Netherlands, a 12.5% gender pay gap leads to a 30–40% pension gap, and from June 2027 companies must report pay data, with unjustified gaps over 5% risking serious reputational damage.

What this means going forward

Employers can no longer ask about previous salary, while employees can request pay information, and companies must respond within two months. Pay structures must be transparent, with clear criteria for raises and promotions. 

Thanks to Heleen Vaandrager from Soderberg & Partners for this important update.

Paul Cumberland from Miller and Drew Harvey from Price Forbes shared insights into the London market’s evolving landscape.

London's strength is in specialty lines

Lloyd’s capacity is growing faster than inflation, creating pricing pressure until expected losses around 2027 trigger another rate cycle. London retains its global strength through specialty lines (43% of the global market) but must adapt to advanced regional hubs. 

What buyers should do now

Conditions favor buyers. Build strong relationships with underwriters now—those partnerships will matter when capacity tightens again.

Thanks to Paul Cumberland (Miller) and Drew Harvey (Price Forbes) for this market insight.