Dear members and business partners,

Our unisonBrokers Independence Day

Conference was held in the beautiful

city of Porto , June 1—3. 170 partici-

pants from 32 countries from all over

the world attended this unforgettable

event, organized in close co-operation

and with the inspiration of our Portu-

guese co-hosts F. REGO. Once again,

we would like to sincerely thank all our

delegates for their participation and

their great support! Our generous spon-

sors Zurich, AXA, Allianz, Aspen, HDI

Global, Württembergische and Allied

World deserve our special thanks for

making this wonderful conference pos-

sible for the entire unison community!

Table of contents

Our Co-Host

Our sponsors

External Speakers

The Yeatman Hotel

The Venues

Editorial Team

Independence Day Edition

This special edition of our unisonTimes is a post-conference review of the pro-

gram and the events. On the following pages, we are pleased to present

some detailed information on the sponsoring companies as well as the spea-

kers of the conference. Further, you will also find additional details on our

main conference hotel “The YEATMAN” as well as the unique venues chosen

for our events: the magnificent Palacio da Bolsa and the oldest port wine cel-

lars of the city, Caves Ferreira.

We hope you enjoy reading this special unisonTimes issue reminding you of

the atmosphere we all experienced in the fascinating Porto!

See you in Berlin!

Our Co-Host

F.REGO - Corretores de Seguros, SA.

F. Rego—Corretores de Seguros SA. Is an independent Portuguese family-owned insurance brokerage group founded in 1979 with offices in Portugal, Spain and Brazil (60+ employees).

The group specializes in corporate accounts as well as local servicing for multinational companies and brokers.

It is one of the Top 10 insurance brokers in Portugal.

A significant part of F. Rego’s portfolio is international business, that accounts for more than one third of its total turnover.

F. Rego started international servicing more than 25 years ago, so they have accumulated an important expertise, being, along with the international brokers operating in the domestic markets, the broker with more international exposure and experience.

To deliver quality service, the group has International Divisions, with dedicated teams in each office, with differentiated service levels and international vision of business.

With more than 200 international clients served, international business is the fastest growing department in the group.

Pedro Rego was born in 1971, is married, has 2 daughters and lives in Por-

to.

He has an Economics Master degree from the University of Porto and has

done several courses and trainings in Portugal and abroad on the insur-

ance industry.

Pedro started working in 1995 in FREGO Insurance Brokers, where he has

performed all types of activities being currently the CEO of the company

and of the Group.

Pedro is a former Vice-President of the Portuguese Brokers Association and

currently President of the General Assembly.

Administrador , CEO—

F.REGO - Corretores de Seguros, SA.

Pedro Rego

Note of thanks

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all of our sponsors:

With your support, we have been able to plan and host our 11th Inde-

pendence Day Conference in the historic city of Porto.

In the following, the below sponsors will introduce themselves once

again.

Platinum Sponsor:

Gold Sponsors:

Silver Sponsors:

Our sponsors

Zurich Insurance

Platinum Sponsor

Zurich is excited to be the Platinum Sponsor of the 2016 unisonBrokers In-

dependence Day Conference in Porto!

The meeting of 170 conference participants from different parts of the

world in Porto to develop plans on how to win together, is a vivid illustra-

tion of the successful journey that unisonBrokers has embarked on. In such

a short space of time, just 11 years, unisonBrokers has achieved a remark-

able growth trajectory and is recognised as one of the largest internation-

al broker networks worldwide.

Reaching this level of success doesn’t come without facing up to chal-

lenges and solving real problems for a growing number of clients with an

international footprint. You have successfully formed a close cooperation

between members, adhered to quality standards and persisted in your

mission to keep finding specific, customizable solutions for your members

and clients around the world.

Zurich’s eagerness to form a closer strategic partnership with unisonBrokers

first began when we saw the interconnectivity within your network. We al-

ready have strong relationships in a number of countries with your mem-

ber brokers. The challenge now is to combine the strength of these rela-

tionships with our common international reach, reinforce our existing rela-

tionships further and develop new ones.

Like you, Zurich has a long and successful history in international insurance:

we have been managing international programs for more than 40 years

and have built unparalleled capabilities in this space. Zurich has the larg-

est international network in the industry today, reaching 220 countries. We

have over 2,000 employees worldwide who are dedicated and certified

to manage over 7,500 master programs and 50,000 contracts worldwide.

And we do this by being globally connected through a single platform,

with strong central network management and with all countries working

towards the same performance standards.

While experience, scale and capability are important, with the increasing

needs of international clients, they are not enough to make you unique.

What makes Zurich truly different is our people, our expertly built network

and the market-leading tools we have developed. These include Zurich MIA

and the MyZurich platform, which respectively allow customers and brokers

to monitor and achieve a sustainable program structure and act as a risk

management center that gives clients control of their insurance and risk en-

gineering programs.

Being a platinum sponsor of this year’s IDC highlights the global reach of the

relationship between Zurich and unisonBrokers, stretching far beyond local

ties. It is an important step in our strategic partnership, during which we will

share with you risk insights, training, tools and the right team that will ulti-

mately add value to your business, and will help us win together.

In many ways, we believe that Zurich is the right partner for unisonBrokers

and we look forward to meeting you and discussing opportunities.

Source: Dimitrios Mazarakis, Zurich Global Corporate in Europe, Middle East

and Africa.

https://www.zurich.com/en/products-and-services/tools-for-business/zurich-mia

Allianz Group

Gold Sponsors

Aspen Insurance

AXA Group

International for AXA is already in our DNA, we are covering currently 150 countries and

the past 10 years have proven the AXA engagement to reach new territories. AXA is al-

ready the leading insurer in Asia for P&C. AXA has strengthened its presence in Africa by

the entry in several countries such as Nigeria and Egypt but also in Latin America with

Brazil and Colombia.

To better serve all your clients abroad, AXA dedicates two entry points for international

business: AXA Corporate Solutions and AXA International Services through AXA General

Insurance companies. Indeed your local AXA contact is the entry point for your interna-

tional Mid-Market client. However as we are one AXA providing international solutions,

AXA opted to have a unique platform to implement all international programs.

SME, Mid-Market and Corporate Client will be using our global network recognized as

one of the largest insurance networks. Our network of partners is managed by AXA Cor-

porate Solutions and is reviewed annually with a focus based on strong financial, opera-

tional and technical performance.

AXA is looking for international partner in the brokerage industry to support our offer.

Partnership with unisonBrokers will allow us to cross sell / upsell our products in each

country where our common clients are developing their activities.

We bring to the table AXA network of distributors (tied agents and local mid-size bro-

kers). We believe the key success factor to seamless service in that area will be a strong

cooperation with a network such as unisonBrokers open to third parties, like our tied

agents. This is key to develop together coordinated insurance solutions.

No threshold, trigger or minimum level of turnover, we are here to face the reality of in-

ternational expansions for your clients with complex needs. AXA is developing lean solu-

tions, no “one size fits all”.

The world in which we are evolving is chang-

ing more and more rapidly. This implies a fair

share of challenges but also open up a

world of opportunities for us. In 2014, AXA has

decided to accompany its Mid-Market cli-

ents as they expand overseas. This transver-

sal initiative was the first specifically dedicat-

ed to support AXA entities to address the in-

ternational needs of Mid-Market segment.

And since 2015, our team is there to go with

you on this journey.

HDI Global SE

Tailor-made products to address target groups -

D & O Policy: Those who manage a company also bear liability

Management liability is becoming more and more important – not only for large enterpris-

es. CEOs, management and supervisory boards already have direct and also unlimited

financial liability, i. e. their private assets are at risk, in case of slight negligence. Therefore,

the D & O insurance guarantees that these situations do not lead to total private bank-

ruptcy of the insured. With the D & O policy of Württembergische you are able to meet

the requirements of that interesting and profitable client group. The main focus of the

coverage of the D & O policy is the protection of the managers’ private assets. Insured

persons include, among others, management and supervisory board members, executive

employees, authorized representatives and chief representatives. Extensive claims discov-

ery periods, unlimited retroactive coverages and a comprehensive cost pool (e. g. for PR

consultants and mediators) are among the highlights of this coverage.

In addition to the D & O insurance, Württembergische also offers two supplementary cov-

erages, the first being SIR (self-insured retention) policies for managers and supervisors of

joint-stock companies who wish to insure D & O self retention according to the German

Stock Corporations Act or rather the Corporate Governance Codex. Further, there is a

prospectus liability insurance coverage for companies who emit securities (e. g. shares or

bonds), who would like to minimize the resulting liability risks for themselves and their man-

agers.

The new wind power policy

Large wind power plants offer a high-level technical added value, but also bear a re-

markable claims potential. Therefore, Württembergische developed a special wind power

policy for on-shore power plants which provides the insured with comprehensive cover-

age at all stages of the operation (installation, operation period and repowering).

Württembergische was one of the first providers on the market to create a product with

separate modules, which are compatible and can be combined individually and provide

the insured with a seamless transition of coverage. The modules can be selected from the

following insurance lines: Technical insurance, Transport, Liability and Legal Protection. The

coverage is suitable for community wind farms, local energy suppliers (e. g. municipal utili-

ties) or sole traders (e. g. farmers) etc. Benefit from the advantages of the wind power

policy of Württembergische Versicherung AG:

flexible, individually combinable, compatible modules with seamless transition of

cove- rage;

GAP coverage (compensation payment of the balance between current value and

residual value in case of total loss);

easy application process, short-term implementation and quick response in case of

claims;

alternatives in the scope of coverage

Württembergische Vertriebsservice GmbH

Allied World Assurance Company

ABOUT ALLIED WORLD

Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG, through its subsidiaries and brand known as

Allied World, is a global provider of innovative property, casualty and specialty insurance and

reinsurance solutions. Corporately, Allied World has enjoyed continued growth and success

since our inception in 2001. We design and offer risk transfer products that meet the diverse

requirements of our clients, have a global branch network that allows us to be responsive to

local needs, and deploy a strategy that allows us to be entrepreneurial yet financially secure.

While we are constantly striving to expand our global footprint, we are also working diligently

to stay close to the markets we serve. We have 20 offices and nearly 1400 client-focused em-

ployees servicing clients throughout the world.

FINANCIAL STRENGTH

We recognise how important it is that a carrier has the financial strength to ensure that it will

be there when your clients need us. We believe that our ratings, conservative balance sheet,

expanding scope of operations and solid capital base put Allied World in a superior position to

provide our insureds the protection they need.

2015 financial results for Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG

Gross premiums written: $3.1B

Net income: $84M

Combined ratio: 95.1%

RATINGS

Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) Limited is rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best ,

“A” (Strong) by Standard & Poor’s and “A2” by Moody’s. Allied World Syndicate 2232 is rated

“A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best, “A+” (Strong) by Standard & Poor’s, and “AA-” (Very Strong) by

Fitch Ratings.

PRODUCTS

Allied World Europe underwrites a diverse portfolio of risks – from SMEs to FTSE 100 companies.

Products include:

www.alliedworldinsurance.com

Aviation Healthcare Liability Onshore Construction Trade Credit

and Political

Risk

Financial Insti-

tutions

Management Liabil-

ity

Professional Indemnity

Fine Art and

Specie

Marine Property

General Casu-

alty

Mergers and Acqui-

sitions

Small and Medium En-

terprises (SME)

Silver Sponsor

Dimitrios Mazarakis

Broker Facilities and Broker Networks Manager -

Zurich Global Corporate in Europe, Middle East & Africa

Dimitrios Mazarakis works within the Distri-

bution function and is responsible for de-

veloping Zurich’s capability and respon-

siveness in Facilities, within its Global Cor-

porate business in Europe, Middle East and

Africa (GCiEMEA). In his role, he works

closely with key broker firms in the EMEA re-

gion to support Zurich’s distribution strate-

gy and broker proposition. Since Decem-

ber 2014, Dimitrios has also been leading

and developing Zurich’s relationships and

portfolio with key Global Broker Networks

within EMEA.

Dimitrios joined Zurich in London in June 2006 as a Financial Lines under-

writer and brings a blend of underwriting and broker management ex-

perience to his current role. For the duration of his underwriting career,

he specialised in Professional Indemnity. Until he was appointed to his

current role in December 2014, he was lead underwriter for Solicitors

Professional Indemnity business for Zurich in the UK, working closely with

actuarial and claims colleagues.

Dimitrios is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute and holds

a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of

Macedonia in Thessaloniki, Greece.

(in order of their appearance)

External speakers

Zurich Insurance

Carsten Wiesenthal

Since the beginning of 2016, Carsten leads the Central Cross Border Busi-

ness Team at Allianz SE - Global P&C and is based in Munich.

In his role as Head of Cross Border Business, Carsten is responsible for the

central steering and coordination of Cross Border Business on Group lev-

el. He works closely with Allianz P&C entities all over the world in order to

deliver outstanding international P&C insurance solutions to commercial

customers.

Carsten is a lawyer and has 15 years of experience in the German and

international insurance business.

He started his career as a Sales Area Manager at Allianz Germany and

held various management positions in different Allianz entities such as Alli-

anz Global Corporate & Specialty, as well as a leading function in an Alli-

anz Group project. In 2015, he joined the Global P&C function at Allianz

SE to focus on the Allianz MidCorp Upgrade initiative.

Head of Cross Border Business – Allianz SE

Allianz SE

Nikolaus Breitenberger

Head of Loss Control & Risk Engineering –

Allianz SE

Nikolaus Breitenberger is Head of Loss Control &

Risk Engineering at Allianz SE - Global P&C and is

based in Munich.

Nikolaus is responsible for Risk Engineering Group Standards, respective

business reviews as well as for enabling international best practice to be-

come common practice across the Allianz Group. He manages a network

of international Risk Engineers across Allianz entities with more than 300 en-

gineers across all lines of business.

Before joining Allianz SE in 2014, Nikolaus worked at FM Global as a Senior

Risk Consultant and Flood Specialist for the Central Europe Operation in

Frankfurt for seven years .

He started his career as a certified mason and professional fire fighter. Niko-

laus holds a degree in Civil and Construction Engineering and worked as a

Allianz SE

is Group Head of AXA International Services at

AXA Global P&C since January 2015 and is based

in Paris. He is responsible for the development of

the international P&C offer for commercial clients.

He is managing a network of international manag-

ers across AXA companies worldwide and he

monitors at Group level the development and the

roll out of key initiatives to reach the ambition de-

fined by the AXA Group.

Olivier joined AXA in 1996, as manager of P&C operations in the Middle

East for six years and then joined the internal reinsurance company of AXA

as regional manager in charge of P&C treaties for the large AXA Europe-

an entities. During the last five years, Olivier was managing the finance

department of the internal AXA reinsurer.

Before joining AXA, Olivier was a junior broker with SGCA and Diot for sev-

eral years.

Olivier holds an Executive MBA from Essec Paris and a Master degree in in-

surance law from Sorbonne.

AXA Group

Olivier Zamora

Claus Hunold

Claus joined AXA in 2005 within the sales department as assistant of the

board member in Germany. In 2011 he worked for AXA Winterthur, Swit-

zerland, in the Marketing department as segment manager for the P&C

business. In 2011 he moved back to AXA Germany, being responsible for

the entire offer steering at AXA, including P&C.

He began his career as a consultant for a smaller consultancy in financial

accounting and worked for the Wholesale company Metro Group in Ger-

many. He finished his Ph.D. 2003 at the WHU, Vallendar, Germany.

is German Head of Corporate Business, Re-

gion South at AXA Global P & C as of

March 2016 and is based in Munich. He is

responsible for the development and prof-

itability of the corporate Business including

sales, underwriting and processing for all

business lines property, liability MAT and

construction.

AXA Group

Peter Schroeder

Peter started his Financial Lines career in 1997 at Chubb Insurance in Düs-

seldorf, Germany. From 2004 on, his professional commitments include

several underwriting and managerial positions at AIG, Liberty and Allianz

in Germany and Switzerland. His current focus is Financial Lines business

in Switzerland, Germany and Austria.

Peter started his almost 19 years’ insurance practice in an underwriting

support function and was later entrusted with responsibilities for sales de-

velopment in immature local markets, the creation and development of

Financial Lines products in various languages as well as the responsibility

for managing a global business portfolio and serving as a referral point.

Peter was born in Poland. At the age of 16, he moved to Germany

where he lived and worked until his move to Switzerland in early 2012; his

international experience includes stays in France, US and London.

Financial & Professional Lines Manager -

Aspen Insurance

Aspen Insurance

Klaus Navarrete

Chief Agent and Managing Director—

HDI Global SE - Canada Branch

Klaus Navarrete is Chief Agent and Managing Director of HDI Global SE -

Canada Branch. As Managing Director, Klaus is accountable for driving

HDI Global - SE Canada Branch’s continued profitable growth, and over-

all strategy and operations in Canada.

Over the past 27 years he has held various positions in a range of capac-

ities within the property and casualty insurance, reinsurance and broker

industries including general management, underwriting, claims, distribu-

tion, marketing and strategy.

Prior to his appointment at HDI Global SE - Canada Branch, he was Head

of Facultative Reinsurance at Hannover Re - Canada Branch. He also

worked for Allianz, ACE-INA, Gerling and RSA.

Klaus lives in Toronto with his wife and two daughters. He enjoys traveling,

running, hockey and golf.

HDI Global SE

Petra Riga

Head International Sales & Distribution,

Executive Sponsor for Global Broker Net-

works—Zurich Global Corporate

Petra Riga is responsible for international

sales & distribution for Zurich Global Cor-

porate. Petra is also tasked with the ex-

pansion of Zurich’s portfolio with key inter-

national brokers, Global Broker Networks,

captive managers and customer associa-

tions. In 2016 Petra was given additional

responsibility to lead the global approach

to Broker Networks.

In 2003, she successfully set up a new receiving country unit in Germany

and served as head of received business for Germany’s international

program business.

In 2006, Petra was appointed head of international business network

management. In this role, she managed Zurich’s International network

encompassing more than 180 countries, including driving the successful

implementation of Zurich’s service performance standards across the

globe. Petra holds a Master’s in business administration from the Universi-

ty of Stuttgart, Germany.

Zurich Insurance

Liz Booth

Since then she has worked in the industry, firstly as a news reporter and

then as a travel writer before discovering the world of insurance. She has

edited a number of monthly magazines covering risk and insurance, in-

cluding titles such as Maritime Risk International, Risk Universe, The Char-

tered Insurance Institute Journal and Financial Solutions magazines.

Today, she concentrates on her role as editor of Commercial Risk Africa.

Commercial Risk Africa is a digital magazine, published ten times a year

and covering Sub Saharan African risk issues for readers in 120 countries.

As part of that role, Liz continues to travel across Africa, moderating both

large and small events.

Aside of the travel, she enjoys family life back in the UK and is married

with one son.

Liz was born in the UK but spent much of her childhood living overseas,

mostly in Nigeria.

Instead of going to university, she chose to become an apprentice in

journalism, obtaining her National Council for the Training of Journalists

qualification from what is now the University of Sheffield.

Chief Editor—Commercial Risk Africa

Commercial Risk Africa

Hugo Barker

Hugo Barker is the owner and managing director of MAI RE, which is a

wholesale broker in Latvia that specializes in the Central Eastern Europe

(CEE) and Africa regions.

He moved to Riga, Latvia in 1995 and spent 20 years assisting to build

MAI CEE to its current size of 13 Broking companies across the CEE re-

gion. Today he has expanded into Africa where MAI RE has five partner

offices, and where MAI RE is the part-owner of an African Reinsurer

called Zambezi Re in Zambia.

He is married to Helen Barker and has four sons.

Owner and Managing Director - MAI RE

MAI Reinsurance Brokers

Frédéric Jacquemart

Frédéric has been in the international insurance business for

more than 30 years. He spent most of his carreer in the interna-

tional insurance brokerage industry at AON France as Client

Director in charge of international clients. He joined Ascoma

International in December 2014 in order to resume the coordi-

nation of the import portfolio.

Client Director – International

clients— Ascoma International

Ascoma International

George Mathonsi

ARI Seguros

BCompt (Unizulu), ACII (IISA), Dip Bus.

Management (Wits)

Senior Managing Partner - ARI Seguros

Service Team Role Managing Partner

Service Team Role overall coordination responsibilities

Years of Experience 32

Current Responsibilities I am a senior risk advisor and insurance broker

Previous Experience

I am Mozambican national educated in South Africa

Managing Director at Alexander Forbes Mozambique – the largest broker

in the country until 2011 when a MBO was concluded Previously, I worked

for Swiss Re (second largest reinsurer worldwide) as a member of the man-

agement team and prior to that position I started my insurance at IGI Insur-

ance Company and worked there until the company was declared insol-

vent whilst I was holding a position as Marketing Manager based in South

Africa.

I hold BCompt Degree from the University of Zululand and went to obtain

an ACII in insurance studies from the Chartered Insurance Institute of Lon-

don and a Senior Diploma in Business Management from Wits Business

School.

I also benefited from numerous insurance training courses including the

prestigious Professional’s Programme in Munich in Germany and the Swiss

International College in Zurich and more recently attended the famous

Marsh’s Oil and Energy course which carries a CII CPD 25 Credits. I have

been in the industry for the past 30 having started in 1984 and I am privi-

leged to have gained experience in all industry sectors i.e. direct

(insurance companies) as an underwriter, (international reinsurance mar-

kets) and risk advisor and insurance broking.

Samantha Hollman

Samantha has more than 20 years’ experience in the insurance indus-

try. She joined Steadfast Group Limited in 2000, which is now the largest in-

surance broking group and the largest underwriting agency group in Aus-

tralia and New Zealand.

Samantha has held key roles in broker services, project management, and

marketing & communications. Today, she heads up Human Resources and

Marketing for the Group and works closely with the Managing Director/

CEO and the Board, implementing strategic initiatives for the Group, in-

cluding marketing trips overseas to review these projects on an internation-

al level.

Executive General Manager - Projects, Brand,

People—Steadfast Group Limited

Steadfast Group Limited

Luis Filipe Caldas

Lawyer and Head of LFCaldas—Advogados -

Best Friend in Portugal for Harmonie Group

Education

Master Degree in European Law, from Lisbon University

(magna cum lauda)

Master Degree in Criminial Law, from Coimbra University

(magna cum lauda)

Law degree (five years) from Lisbon Universtiy

(magna cum lauda)

He also fully achieved other post-graduate studies in:

Economic and European Criminial Law, Banking, Sock Exchange and Insu-

rance Law, Compnay Law, Regulatory and Compettiton Law, Law Making

and Regulatory Methos, Criminial European Law, Top Management

Professional Achievements

For over 20 years, he was an Executive Director of Insurance companies

(AGF and Allianz groups), in charge of all non-life operations (technical and

marketing) and all reinsurance business (Allianz Portugal, SPS, Bonança)

Law Practices

(Re)Insurance and (re)insurers‘ law and litigation, insurance and reinsu-

rance brokers‘ law and regulation, wording and compliance, corporate

governance of financial institutions, banking and financial law, European

law, company law, economic and competition law, liability and litigation,

Economics criminal law

Languages

Portuguese, French, English, Spanish

The Harmonie Group

Amit Dudani

Amit has over 15 years of experience in the Insurance and Reinsurance

sector.

Having started his career as an underwriter with one of the leading un-

derwriters in India, he went on to become Country Head-Marine Prac-

tice with a global broking firm.

He has extensively travelled to different destinations and forged business

relations with various insurance participants from all over the world.

His interests lie in sports and he is eagerly looking forward to the Rio Olym-

pics 2016.

CEO—ReLeague Enterprises Private

Limited

ReLeague Enterprises Pvt Ltd

The Yeatman Hotel

(main conference hotel)

Standing amidst these Port lodges on the steep bank above the River

Douro is The Yeatman, a wine hotel and spa. Wine hospitality is at The

Yeatman‘s core, expressed in its Michelin-Starred restaurant, Pool Bar

(open May to October), 24-hour wine bar, vinotherapy spa and stylish be-

drooms where paintings and objets d‘art pertaining to specific wineries a-

dorn the spaces. Every room looks out to the city and river below with ter-

races opening out to the scene. Quirky touches such as Master Suites 007

and 008‘s barrel beds add some individual style.

UNESCO protected Porto may be a lesser-known Portuguese tourist hub

than the Algarve or Lisbon but not to lovers of Port wine. Porto is one of

the oldest wine capitals in the world. From the mountainous upper Douro

is one of the oldest wine capitals in the world. From the mountainous up-

per Douro valley (also a World Heritage Site), barrels of the sweet elixir are

brought to Porto‘s neighbouring city, Vila Nova de Gaia, where it‘s stored

in lodges for ageing and blending.

Mesmerising views accompany meals at the restaurant where the menu is

a celebration of traditional Portuguese flavours enhanced with an innova-

tive twist and wine pairings. Every Thursday, the hotel hosts a wine dinner

so be sure to reserve your table. And make a point of trying the tasting

menus to discover Portugal‘s finest flavours, maybe after a treatment in

Caudalie‘s Vinothérapie ® Spa where grape by-products are used.

Source: Condé Nast Johansens Luxury Hotels & Spas

Bolsa Palace—Palacio da bolsa

(Gala Dinner)

The Palácio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Palace) is a historical building in

Porto, Portugal. The palace was built in the 19th century by the city's Com-

mercial Association (Associação Comercial) in Neoclassical style. It is lo-

cated in the Infante D. Henrique Square in the historical centre of Porto,

designated World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is located beside the St

Francis Church of Porto, which was once part of the St Francis Convent,

founded in the 13th century. In 1832, during the Liberal Wars, a fire de-

stroyed the cloisters of the convent, sparing the church. In 1841, Queen

Mary II donated the convent ruins to the merchants of the city, who de-

cided to use the spot to build the seat of the Commercial Association.

Building work began in 1842 following the plans of Porto architect

Joaquim da Costa Lima Júnior, who designed a Neoclassical palace of

Palladian influence, inspired by previous structures built in the city. Most of

the palace was finished by 1850, but the decoration of the interior was

only completed in 1910 and involved several different artists.

The Venues

Several rooms of the Palace - Tribunal Room, Assembly Room, Golden

Room - display furniture by José Marques da Silva, allegoric paintings by

José Maria Veloso Salgado and João Marques de Oliveira, sculptures by

Teixeira Lopes and many other works of art. The highlight of the Palace is,

however, the Arab Room, built between 1862 and 1880 by Gonçalves e

Sousa. The room is decorated in the exotic Moorish Revival style, fashio-

nable in the 19th century, and is used as reception hall for personalities

and heads of state visiting Porto.

The interior of the Palace, only finished in 1910, was magnificently decor-

ated by several artists. The central courtyard (Nations' Courtyard - Pátio

das Nações) is covered by a large metallic, octagonal dome with glass

panels, designed by Tomás Soler and built after 1880. The lower part of

the dome is decorated with the painted coats-of-arms of Portugal and

the countries with which Portugal had commercial relations in the 19th

century. To the back of the courtyard, a sumptuous stairway, built in

1868 by Gonçalves e Sousa, leads to the upper storeys and is adorned

with busts by celebrated sculptors António Soares dos Reis and António

Teixeira Lopes. The ceiling frescoes were painted by António Ramalho.

Source: Wikipedia.org, Palacio da Bolsa

Caves Ferreira

(Portuguese Evening)

Founded by a family of winemakers from the Douro, in 1751, Ferreira pos-

sesses a rich tradition and a prominent role in the history of Porto Wine.

Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira contributed significantly to the consoli-

dation of the brand. A legendary woman with a unique personality, who

became a myth and a symbol of strength, facing the adversities of the

nineteenth-century Douro.

Ferreira cellars invite you to discover a brand over 250 years old, a sym-

bol of the highest quality that captures Portugal’s heart and soul.

Source: http://www.cavesvinhodoporto.com/eng_ferreira.html

The emotional side of the conference

Editorial Team

Melinda Keller, Polina Balko, Gunda Stichbury

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