Allianz Climate Risk Award names Cardiff researcher as 2025 winner as programme expands to trade-related climate studies

From left: Holger Tewes-Kampelmann, CEO Allianz Reinsurance; Shagun Garg, University of Cambridge; Diego Altafini, Cardiff University; Mitchell Anderson von der University of Canterbury; Prof. Dr. Ralf Ludwig, LMU Munich

(IN BRIEF) Allianz Re celebrated the ninth Allianz Climate Risk Award on December 2, 2025, recognising outstanding academic research addressing climate-related risks. The 2025 winner, Diego Altafini of Cardiff University, was honoured for research advancing flood-impact analysis for climate adaptation. Finalists Mitchell Anderson (University of Canterbury) and Shagun Garg (University of Cambridge) also presented their research to the jury. This year introduced the Allianz Trade Award for work connecting climate change and global trade, awarded to Harvard researcher Guglielmo Zappalà for studies on heat-shock disruptions in supply chains. Allianz leaders underscored the importance of research-industry cooperation in climate resilience. The annual programme involves ten scientists, three of whom present to a jury including Allianz sustainability and risk leaders. Allianz Re remains the Group’s competence centre for natural perils, strengthening climate risk intelligence and supporting adaptation strategies across industries.

(PRESS RELEASE) MUNICH, 9-Dec-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Allianz Re marked the ninth edition of its Allianz Climate Risk Award on December 2, 2025, recognising three emerging researchers whose scientific work is advancing global understanding of climate risk. This year’s top honour went to Diego Altafini of Cardiff University for his research project “The Syntax of Vulnerability: Decoding Flood Impacts in Urban Networks for Decision-Support and Climate Adaptation.” His work, along with that of the finalists, demonstrates how academia continues to shape new ways of responding to climate-related hazards.

Speaking at the ceremony, Holger Tewes-Kampelmann, CEO of Allianz Reinsurance, highlighted the importance of evidence-based research in resilience planning: “The scientists we celebrate today remind us that climate events don’t occur in isolation. Their work shows that resilience can be measured, designed and directed — a crucial insight for a changing world.”

Alongside Altafini, the 2025 finalists presenting to the jury included Mitchell Anderson of the University of Canterbury, sharing the project “Revealing Functional Isolation in a Climate-Challenged World,” and Shagun Garg from the University of Cambridge, who presented “Advancing Flood and Water Risk Monitoring in Arid Regions using Satellites and Machine Learning.” Their contributions reflect the growing diversity of research approaches being applied to climate-related risks.

From left: Piril Kadibesegil, Piril Kadibesegil, Head of Sustainability, Allianz Trade; Florence Lecoutre, Member of the Executive Board, Allianz Trade; Guglielmo Zappalà, Harvard University; Inès Essombe Edimo, Sustainability Analyst, Allianz Trade

Introduction of the Allianz Trade Award — new in 2025

This year also marked an expansion of the programme with the launch of the first Allianz Trade Award, broadening the scope of research recognised to include climate impacts on global commerce. The inaugural winner was Guglielmo Zappalà of Harvard University, awarded for his study “Heat Shocks Move Through Supply Chains,” which analyses how extreme temperature events disrupt global trade networks.

Piril Kadibesegil, Head of Sustainability, Allianz Trade, noted the relevance of the research to ongoing corporate risk modelling: “Climate change already affects businesses and international trade. By integrating climate risk intelligence into underwriting, we can support more resilient global supply chains. Academic research like this is integral to that effort.”

Collaboration between business and science

Sibylle Steimen, Managing Director Advisory & Services, Allianz Reinsurance, reinforced the value of scientific exchange, stating: “Climate risk is complex and interconnected. Solutions emerge when practitioners and researchers work side by side.”

Allianz Re continues to serve as the Center of Competence for Natural Perils within Allianz Group, offering tools, analytical capabilities and expertise to strengthen risk understanding and insurance resilience worldwide.

From left: Supriya Krishnan, winner of the 2024 Allianz Climate Risk Award; Emilia Macarie, Allianz Group Sustainability Officer; Holger Tewes-Kampelmann, CEO Allianz Reinsurance; Prof. Dr. Ralf Ludwig, LMU München; Markus Stowasser, Global Head of Catastrophe Risk Management, Allianz Reinsurance; Sibylle Steimen, Managing Director Advisory & Services, Allianz Reinsurance

Each year, ten promising scientists are nominated for the Allianz Climate Risk Award. Among them, three finalists are selected to present their work to an interdisciplinary jury comprised of experts both internal and external to Allianz, who then determine the final ranking and monetary prizes.

The 2025 jury included:
Emilia Macarie – Allianz Group Sustainability Officer
Holger Tewes-Kampelmann – CEO, Allianz Reinsurance
Sibylle Steimen – Managing Director Advisory & Services, Allianz Reinsurance
Markus Stowasser – Global Head of Catastrophe Risk Management, Allianz Reinsurance
Prof. Dr. Ralf Ludwig – LMU Munich, Chair of Geography & Remote Sensing
Supriya Krishnan – 2024 Award Winner

The continued evolution of the Awards — including the new Allianz Trade category — reflects Allianz’s long-term commitment to understanding climate risk and supporting innovative science that can guide adaptation strategies across industry and society.

Decoding Climate Risk in an Interconnected world

A compendium featuring essays by all ten finalists can be downloaded here.

Media Contact:

Elizabeth Goetze
Allianz SE Reinsurance
+49 89 3800 673 48
elizabeth.goetze@allianz.com

About Allianz
The Allianz Group is one of the world’s leading insurers and asset managers serving private and corporate customers in nearly 70 countries. Allianz customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, ranging from property, life and health insurance to assistance services to credit insurance and global business insurance. Allianz is one of the world’s largest investors, managing around 761 billion euros* on behalf of its insurance customers. Furthermore, our asset managers PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors manage about 1.9 trillion euros* of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of ecological and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, we are among the leaders in the insurance industry in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In 2024, over 156,000 employees achieved total business volume of 179.8 billion euros and an operating profit of 16.0 billion euros for the Group.

* As of September 30, 2025.

SOURCE: Allianz