G20 merchandise trade faced a contraction in value during the second quarter of 2023, when compared to the previous quarter, measured in current US dollars. Both exports and imports experienced declines of 3.1% and 2.0% respectively. This decline can be attributed to subdued global demand and the decreasing prices of commodities, especially energy products. The drop in energy prices had a significant impact on North America’s trade value, leading

In an era defined by remote work and boundless connectivity, the rise of digital nomads has transformed the way people work and live. These globe-trotting individuals leverage technology to work from anywhere, embracing a lifestyle that offers freedom and exploration. However, with this freedom comes the need for a safety net that ensures their well-being and financial security, and this is where digital insurance steps in. Digital nomads are

Zurich Integrated Benefits (ZIB) in August 2023 announced it would host its conference in London, UK, from September 6 – 8, 2023. Are you a Compensation and Benefits specialist, or Risk Manager working for a multinational company? Are you interested in finding out what the next trends for employee benefits are? If you haven’t received an ‘official invite’ via email and would like to attend, then please reach out

Zurich Global Employee Benefits Solutions (ZGEBS) has made a groundbreaking announcement by launching an ‘Underwriting Year’ customer reporting capability. This move comes in response to increasing customer demand, showcasing ZGEBS’s commitment to innovation. As a part of Zurich Insurance Company Ltd.’s business unit Zurich Integrated Benefits, ZGEBS is positioned to provide comprehensive expertise in employee benefits globally. The newly introduced ‘Underwriting Year’ information empowers global employee benefit customers to

Luxembourg’s leading insurer Foyer in July 2023 announced the completion of the acquisition of iPMI carrier Globality from ERGO Group, after receiving approval from the regulator, Commissariat aux Assurances. The new company includes Foyer Global Health, the international health insurance and services provider for globally mobile people within Foyer Group, and Globality Health, previously part of ERGO Group, which in turn is owned by Munich Re. Foyer Global Health

Ludovic Bayard Interview: One Year CEO at GEB – How Hot Is Too Hot for the Human Body? – BMI No Longer Key Measure of Obesity – Which Body Organs Are Most at Risk During a Heat Wave?

In the July-August 2023 issue: Ludovic Bayard Interview – One Year CEO at GEB How Hot Is Too Hot for the Human Body? – W. Larry Kenney, Daniel Vecellio, Rachel Cottle, S. Tony Wolf BMI No Longer Key Measure of Obesity – Scott Hogan Which Body Organs Are Most at Risk During a Heat Wave? – Pieter Vancamp

Voluntary Benefits – Multinational Clients Require Thoughtful Solutions – Richard “RAE” Egleston Long COVID puts some people at higher risk of heart disease – Mortality from COVID is lower than its impact on morbidity – Eating disorders among teens have more than doubled during the pandemic – Another COVID winter is coming – Tracking health care’s global environmental impact

In the April 2023 issue: Voluntary Benefits – Multinational Clients Require Thoughtful Solutions – Richard “RAE” Egleston R&D: Long COVID puts some people at higher risk of heart disease – John Donne Potter Mortality from COVID is lower than its impact on morbidity – Philip Clarke, Jack Pollard, Mara Violato Eating disorders among teens have more than doubled during the pandemic – Sydney Hartman-Munick Another COVID winter is coming

In the March 2023 issue: Interview Mattieu Rouot, CEO MAXIS GBN R&D: Health Benefits of Meditation and Mindfulness Hilary A. Marusak Long-Haul Flights and Your Body Tony Schiemer Food Microbes and Cancer Gissel Marquez Alcaraz, Athena Aktipis What Is A Gig Job? David Weil Sitting All Day Is Bad For Your Health Keith Diaz

Interview Mattieu Rouot, CEO MAXIS GBN; Health Benefits of Meditation and Mindfulness – Long-Haul Flights and Your Body – Food Microbes and Cancer – What Is A Gig Job? – Sitting All Day Is Bad For Your Health

Foyer, Luxembourg’s leading privately owned financial group, in March 2023 acquired Globality Health from ERGO Reiseversicherung (Ergo Travel Insurance), part of ERGO Group. ERGO is the retail division of Munich Re. Leadership in international health insurance With this acquisition, Foyer is investing in a high-potential business sector and strengthening its position in international health insurance for expatriates, an activity it has developed since 2014 through Foyer Global Health. Globality’s

Zurich Global Employee Benefits Solutions (ZGEBS) in February 2023 announced the appointment of Dag Zwikker as Regional Distribution Manager for the Nordics and the Benelux markets, based in Zurich, Switzerland. ZGEBS is part of Zurich Integrated Benefits, which brings together the various Zurich businesses providing global employee benefits, including cross-border corporate savings and risk solutions. In a way, it is back to the roots for Dag as he started

Generali Employee Benefits (GEB) in February 2023 announced the appointment of François-Xavier Dub as its new General Manager, reporting to GEB CEO Ludovic Bayard. François-Xavier Dub was since 2019 Head of Insurance within the Partnerships division at Generali France. He began his career in 2008, within the General Inspectorate of Société Générale, before joining the strategy consulting firm Exton Consulting in 2010, first as a senior consultant and then

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in January 2023 announced changes to its forward-looking economic indicators known as the “Composite Leading Indicators” (CLI) and at the same time introduced a new Short-Term Indicators Dashboard that includes the CLI and many more measures of economic activities. The CLI as of now will be available for a reduced set of countries only: G20 countries (minus Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in January 2023 released its latest figures on (un-)employment. According to the organization, employment and labour force participation rates stable at record highs in the third quarter of 2022. The unemployment rate remained at 4.9% in November 2022, the fifth consecutive month at this record low since the start of the series in 2001. However, the aggregate masks wide differences across

Retirement on a DC pension in NL and UK – No Benefit from Coronary Artery Stents! – Could Neurotechnology Make Lawyers Smarter Workers? – Long COVID: Researchers Zeroing in on Autoimmune Attacks – Burnout, How to Prevent It in the Workplace – How to Treat Scars

MAXIS Global Benefits Network (MAXIS GBN) in January 2023 announced that David Schupak will become Director – Global Relationship Management. He previously led the Western Europe, Middle East and Africa business development teams. He will continue reporting to Paul Lewis, Chief Business Development Officer at MAXIS GBN and to be based in London. In his new role, David will oversee MAXIS GBN’s inbound business development strategy (opportunities for MAXIS

The World Economic Forum (WEF) in January 2023 published the 2023 edition of its yearly Global Risks Report. Prepared with global broker Marsh McLennan and insurance carrier Zurich, the 98-page report covers issues such as renewed inflation; economic downturns and heightened economic competition; climate action (or lack thereof); and the increasing polarization of societies. It also addresses areas of concern for the near future, including the pressure on natural

In the January-February 2023 issue: Retirement on a DC pension in NL and UK – Hannah English, Jack Lisamore, Teie Dam, Gijs Cremers R&D: No Benefit From Coronary Artery Stents! – Matthew Ryan Could Neurotechnology Make Lawyers Smarter Workers? – Ian Daly Long COVID: Researchers Zeroing In On Autoimmune Attacks – Matthew Woodruff Burnout, How To Prevent It In The Workplace – Shahieda Jansen How To Treat Scars – Michael

The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) in December 2022 published a report on cross-border Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provisions (IORPs), i.e. corporate pension plans, in the European Economic Area (EEA). According to EIOPA, the number of active cross-border IORPs fell from 33 in 2020 to 31 in 2021. Such plans cover approximately 93,000 members and beneficiaries and manage assets worth around €13bn, up from 70,000 members and

Innovation in Plan Administration, Dejan Malesic – Digital Nomads Have Rejected The Office – Pilates Workout Can Benefit Your Health – Vitamin B12 Deficiency Can Have Serious Consequences – Elon Musk’s ‘Hardcore’ Management Style

In the December 2022 issue: Innovation in Plan Administration – Dejan Malesic R&D: Digital Nomads Have Rejected the Office – Dave Cook Pilates Workout Can Benefit Your Health – Lindsay Bottoms Vitamin B12 Deficiency Can Have Serious Consequences – Diane Cress Elon Musk’s ‘Hardcore’ Management Style – Libby Sander

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in December 2022 released its latest inflation figures. According to the OECD, year-on-year inflation in the OECD as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 10.7% in October 2022, from 10.5% in September. Similarly to the previous month, double-digit inflation was recorded in 18 out of 38 OECD countries, with the highest rates observed in Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and

Based in Lyon, France, wholesale broker April in November 2022 was acquired by U.S. venture capital firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR). Previously owned by CVC Capital Partners, another venture capital firm which had acquired April from its founder Bruno Rousset in 2019, the company changed hands for a reported EUR 2.3bn. Present in 18 countries with 2 300 employees, the company in 2021 earned EUR 544 million in fees

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in November 2022 released its latest inflation figures. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 10.5% in September 2022, from 10.3% in August. Double-digit inflation in September 2022 was recorded in 19 of 38 OECD countries, with the highest rates observed in Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Türkiye (all above 20%). Inflation excluding food and energy continued to rise in the OECD

Zurich Global Employee Benefits Solutions (ZGEBS) in October 2022 announced that Sompo Himawari Life Insurance (SHL), the life insurance company of Sompo Holdings in Japan, joined the ZGEBS network. Alan Chua, Director, Customer & Distribution Management APAC, ZGEBS, commented that “[…] Zurich will now offer SHL’s “Insurhealth” solutions to Zurich’s multinational customers in Japan. […]”. The Insurhealth group product, by combining the original functions of insurance and healthcare, “provides