Singapore International Reinsurance Conference (SIRC) 2020 officially cancelled

Singapore International Reinsurance Conference (SIRC), one of the key re/insurance events globally, has officially cancelled the event this year due to COVID-19 concerns "after considering all possibilities and means of organising a safe reinsurance rendezvous".

The organising committee of SIRC said that "it would be impossible to organise a live in-person networking conference of the same quality and on the same scale" given the travel restrictions and social distancing measures being enforced in many parts of the world.

The 17th edition of the SIRC will now be held from November 15 to 18, 2021.

Marc Haushofer, chairman of the Singapore Reinsurers’ Association (SRA), organiser of the SIRC, said: “We have come to this decision after much thought and after consulting with our many industry friends and leaders, being mindful of the responsibilities that the SIRC has as such a well-supported international reinsurance ‘rendezvous’. We shall certainly make sure that the 17th SIRC in 2021 will live up to everyone’s expectations.”

Sivam Subramaniam, SIRC organising committee chairman, added: “COVID-19 is more than just a pandemic that has brought the global economy to its current state. No one can predict what the future will hold – but we can assure you that the SIRC will continue to play a significant part in shaping the future of the industry. This is the assurance we can give the market: To do our best to serve the reinsurance community.”

SIRC said that to fill the void this November, the organising committee is planning a virtual event – tentatively called ‘SIRC 2020 Re-Mind’, more details of which will be announced in mid-October.

Launched in 1991, the SIRC is one of the most important events on the global reinsurance calendar where leading insurers, brokers and reinsurers gather to take stock of the reinsurance market and set the tone for the renewal season while exploring new opportunities for business cooperation.