The International Association of Agricultural Production Insurers (AIAG) announces several key leadership changes that will shape the organization’s future direction and further strengthen international collaboration within the agricultural insurance sector.
After three two-year terms of office, Pascal Forrer has handed over his responsibilities as AIAG President to Daniele Caceffo, who has been serving as Head of Agriculture at GENERALI in Italy since 2023. AIAG extends its sincere thanks to Mr. Forrer for his dedicated leadership and warmly welcomes Mr. Caceffo as he takes on his new role.
Another notable change on the AIAG Board is the departure of Dr. Rainer Langner, whose many years of involvement significantly advanced the association's growth and success. AIAG expresses its deep gratitude for his contribution and is pleased to welcome Dr. Philipp Schönbach, Spokesman of the Board of VEREINIGTE HAGEL, as a new member of the Board. AIAG is also very pleased to announce that Adrian Aebi, CEO of SCHWEIZER HAGEL, will succeed Pascal Forrer on the Board.
At the recent Board meeting, Thomas Gehrke assumed the new position of AIAG Secretary General, with a clear mandate to promote and expand international exchange between agricultural insurers. Gehrke brings a wealth of experience from both national and international association work. He has been a long-standing member of the AIAG Loss Adjusters' Committee. Additionally, he is Vice-Chair of the Risk Management Working Group of COPA-COGECA in Brussels and actively involved in several German associations including GDV (German Insurance Association) and DLG (German Agricultural Society). Since 2002, Gehrke has held various positions at VEREINIGTE HAGEL, Europe’s largest crop insurer, serving on its Executive Board from 2017 until the end of 2025. He will continue to serve the company as Chief Representative for Association Work and (Inter)National Policy.
We are also pleased to confirm that Natalie Covos will continue to oversee the administrative affairs of AIAG with her customary excellence in her role as Head of Administration and Events.
“Climate change and the associated increase in extreme weather events pose major challenges for the agricultural insurance sector,” said outgoing AIAG President Pascal Forrer. “AIAG's objective is to strengthen the network of international insurance experts so that they can support each other in developing suitable adaptation strategies. This ranges from practical loss adjustment seminars to international conferences on trending topics such as index-based insurance, new technologies and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP). In view of the growing challenges, there is an increasing need for information and opportunities for exchange. We are delighted to have found the right persons to take on these responsible tasks and are confident that with their expertise they will give new impetus to our association." AIAG extends its best wishes to the newly appointed representatives as they assume their respective roles and expresses its confidence in their valuable contribution to the continued advancement of the association.
