The way Ageas works is unique, certainly in the insurance sector. We combine a strong centre with equally strong local autonomy - the best of both worlds. Insurance is a local business. Local is an important part of the way we stay close to our customers and it provides competitive advantage.

As we execute Impact24 we cannot help but reflect on the date 2024, which also coincides with our 200^th anniversary as an insurer. Since the creation of AG in 1824, Ageas has behind it two centuries of experience. During this time, we have impacted many millions of lives for the good; played an active role in society and hundreds of thousands of people have walked through the door with pride as employees. Irrespective of the challenges faced across two centuries, the company survived when many others have not, recording some impressive accomplishments along the way. 

Anniversaries give us all a time to pause and feel proud that we got a lot of things right. Perhaps it is our willingness to constantly evolve to the surroundings and urgency of the times, our customer focus, or our inclination to take a risk faced with opportunities that would help secure our long-term future. Or perhaps it is a combination of all of the above. 

This is also a good time to reflect on the strengths of the Group and how this supports what our people do on the ground. Ageas as a Group brings deep insurance expertise, strong capital management and discipline, extensive distribution knowledge, a culture of partnerships, human capital and importantly a long-term perspective to the local market leading companies. We believe Impact24 will further consolidate and seal the company’s future for the next 200 years.