Private Founders

GEM has five Private Founders that have a special role within the initiative. As they took a bold stance in sponsoring the initiative from the beginning as a Platinum Sponsor, they have become key-players in the undertaking and participate actively in the various components. Since then more private organisations have become sponsor of GEM.

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Munich Re Group

Munich Re Group operates as a risk carrier in Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Africa, and Australia. It offers reinsurance, primary insurance, and asset management services. Its reinsurance branch is the largest in the world.

The company is bringing its mission 'Turning Risk into Value' into practice in many ways; sponsoring GEM is one of them. Dr. Jeworrek, Board of Management member: “We have been sponsoring GEM since the beginning, because we believe that GEM should and will be the number one model for earthquake estimation worldwide, made available to all interested parties in the public and private sector, and will lead to reducing and mitigating earthquake risk significantly”

Munich Re Group contributes 5M Euro to the first five year programme of GEM.

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Zurich Financial Services Group

Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich) is an insurance-based financial services provider. Founded in 1872, it now has a global network of subsidiaries and offices in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and other markets. The Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, and employs about 60,000 people serving customers in more than 170 countries.

Claudio Boettcher, Chief Underwriting Officer Property, said: “We must not only strengthen our capacity to respond to disasters, but we must also invest in disaster risk reduction - in making communities stronger and more resilient in the first place. The challenge is global and requires a collaborative effort. At Zurich we recognize our responsibility to the wider society and have therefore chosen to partner with organizations working to mitigate environmental and social risks, improve the resilience of communities and raise awareness for this very important topic - such as GEM."

Zurich Financial Services contributes 3M Euro to the first five-year programme of GEM.

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Air Worldwide Corporation 

AIR Worldwide (AIR) is the scientific leader and well-respected provider of risk modeling software and consulting services. AIR founded its catastrophe modeling industry in 1987 and today models the risk from natural catastrophes and terrorism in more than 50 countries.

“In developing countries there often is little or no insurance and the financial burden is borne largely by the government,” said Dr. Jayanta Guin, senior vice president of research and modeling at AIR Worldwide. “AIR’s scientific and financial contributions to GEM are consistent with AIR’s support for the private-public partnerships that are needed to help developing countries better plan, react and recover from natural catastrophes.”

AIR Worldwide contributes 1M Euro to the first five-year programme of GEM.

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Willis

Willis is recognized as a leading global insurance broker, handling risk management and reinsurance across a wide range of service areas and industries. Willis is grounded in an entrepreneurial approach to the risk management business, with an unequaled commitment to the delivery of customized solutions.

“GEM is a vital and important project to confront seismic risk and we are delighted to be a part of it,” said Rowan Douglas, Managing Director, Willis Re and Chairman of the Willis Research Network. “This model is the key to saving lives, guiding public policy, protecting property and liberating capital – from national catastrophe pools to micro-insurance – to finance this risk.”

Willis contributes 1M Euro to the first five-year programme of GEM.

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Eucentre

Eucentre is a non profit Foundation launched by the Civil Protection Department, INGV, the University of Pavia and the IUSS, with the aim of promoting, sustaining and overseeing training and research in the field of the reduction of seismic risk.

The GEM Secretariat is hosted by the Eucentre and the Eucentre contributes 1.6 M Euro to the first five-year programme of GEM.