Engaging the virus battle: a message to friends and clients

FIPRA is running

We all experience these last days the onset, in Europe and the world, of what is likely to be a period of months not weeks of disruption to human society and professional life. FIPRA is living the pain, like everyone else. But I want to commit to every one of you that we are there, every day, to help you to manage this challenge for the best.

I am pleased in retrospect to be able to say that we began systematic home-working in Brussels before the whole country was required to do so – we pride ourselves on putting the health and wellbeing of our teams above everything else. All our staff are there for each other – and also for you.

I am also pleased to say that thanks to our internal IT as well as the excellent platforms available these days, our teleworking capacity has allowed trans-continental teams to serve clients seamlessly.

The world will change

FIPRA has been following closely the global public health crisis brought by COVID19 from the very early days, thanks to our FIPRA colleagues in Beijing, as well as through our range of contacts with China. With our economic and financial expertise, we are with many others reading the signs of what is to come in terms of supply-side impact, the consequences for recovery, the prospects for the years ahead: this will not be a sprint.

Having myself seen SARS and Bird Flu as the European Commission Health Director General, it is clear that institutions are more ready now than we were a decade ago. But we still lack the civil emergency reflexes that we need to deploy for the sort of rate of illness that we shall face.

The consequences for health systems and healthcare policy merit deep reflection, starting now. And some clients across sectors are even now learning by doing in terms of safeguarding workforces and customer contacts in time of crisis. We are able to help.

Beyond healthcare, we are stress-testing right now our collective ability in Europe to manage pro-actively and keep essential goods and services flowing. Here, the needs are urgent and the standard operating procedures are being invented day by day. With those clients and contacts most exposed, we are doing what we do best – sensing the winds of change, building new bridges, sharing know-how to help Europe get through this in the best possible shape.

Getting through this together

We must all make it our priority to stay safe, and to support the health of everyone with whom we usually come into contact. Do reach out to those in business or the community who may be more vulnerable in such a critical moment.

Do not hesitate to reach out to me, and to my fellow FIPRA folk, if you feel that a COVID Conversation could be of help: let’s stay close, even in a moment of physical distancing!