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After more than two years of remote-only meetings, GEM held the first hybrid-format Governing Board meeting, with 25 partners and 23 staff attending in person, and 29 partners and 7 staff attending remotely. Another 30 guests remotely attended an open session featuring presentations of GEM’s progress report on its technical work program.

The Governing Board approved several new and renewed memberships. Allianz Group and RMS are new Private Governors, represented by Matthias Hackl and Nilesh Shome, respectively. The Public Governor sponsorships of NIED Japan and Civil Protection Italy were renewed, represented by Hiroyuki Fujiwara and Daniela Di Bucci, respectively. Also approved was a change in sponsorship type for Swiss Re from Advisor to Private Governor, with Michael Ewald as the representative.

The GB approved the formation of a standing committee on product development, which will guide the development of new and improved products for a range of users across public and private sectors, particularly aimed at the dissemination of information to downstream users in the broader risk management and disaster risk reduction communities. The GB also formed a task force to recommend new members to the GEM Advisory Board. The task force is seeking individuals for their technical and strategic perspectives in the context of GEM’s new strategic plan.

The meeting featured Safehub’s donation of a building sensor for monitoring earthquake shaking to GEM to symbolise the commitment of both organisations to continue working together toward using sensor data to improve model predictions of damage from earthquakes; and the awarding of GEM Outstanding Contributor to Peter Pazak of Aon Impact Forecasting.

GEM would like to extend its gratitude to all the participants and guests who actively participated in the open sessions. GEM will hold its next Governing Board meeting on Dec 1-2, also in hybrid format.