2014 news cyber catastrophe

Cyber catastrophe, pandemics and geopolitical conflict

17 March 2014

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A cyber catastrophe, a geopolitical conflict between Japan and China and a human pandemic are the scenarios in the spotlight at the …

A cyber catastrophe, a geopolitical conflict between Japan and China and a human pandemic are the scenarios in the spotlight at the Cambridge Centre for Risk Studies’ seminar on emerging risks, taking place in Cambridge on Thursday 20 March.

CRS seminarThe Emerging Risks Scenarios for Risk Management seminar will bring together senior insurance industry risk experts, policy-makers, economists and scientists to discuss the potential impact of extreme cyber attacks, geopolitical conflicts and pandemics on the world economy, business operations and investment portfolios.

The seminar is being hosted by the Cambridge Centre for Risk Studies, based at Cambridge Judge Business School and held in collaboration with Oxford Economics. The research is supported by a consortium of funders including insurer RMS, Catlin, and Lockheed Martin. A feature presentation on Assessing the Macroeconomic Implications of Emerging Risks will be given by Professor Gabriel Stein of Oxford Economics.

Panel discussions will feature practitioners who are actively managing the threat of emerging risks in their business, and will cover strategic issues and preparedness measures. Panelists include representatives from Lloyds, Catlin, Hiscox, Zurich, Munich Re, SCOR, XL, Willis, RMS, and FNA.

Dr Andrew Coburn, Senior Vice President at RMS and founder and director of the advisory board for the Cambridge Centre for Risk Studies, said:

This important seminar provides industry with stress test scenarios for managing the three key emerging risks: cyber attacks, geopolitical conflicts and pandemics. We want delegates to leave with a transformed sense of how to assess and prepare for these very serious – and very real – threats.

Dr Michael Maran, chief science officer at Catlin, said:

Emerging risks are a major issue for large global companies like Catlin, and one we take very seriously. Research groups like the Cambridge Centre for Risk Studies help provide new insights into potential threats through their research, and make a significant contribution to emerging risk management.