Zurich Makes Two Executive Appointments

Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich) has appointed Alan Fairhead (50, British citizen), currently chief underwriting officer for Global Corporate, to the position of chief underwriting officer for Europe General Insurance, effective Sept. 1, 2009. He will also retain his role as chief underwriting officer for Zurich Insurance plc.

Fairhead will report to Annette Court, CEO Europe General Insurance, Markus Hongler, CEO Western Europe and CEO Zurich Insurance plc, as well as Inga Beale, global chief underwriting officer and head of organizational transformation, and will be based in Dublin, Ireland.

Since joining Zurich in 1999, Fairhead held various senior positions, among others as managing director of Global Corporate UK. From December 2004 until now he has been chief underwriting officer for Global Corporate.

Fairhead is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute and Chartered Insurer, and over the years has been a member of various industry groups.

Juan Beer (39, Swiss citizen), currently CEO Zurich Global Corporate Switzerland, has been appointed to the position of chief underwriting officer for Global Corporate, effective Sept. 1, 2009. He succeeds Alan Fairhead. Beer will report to Mario Vitale, CEO of Global Corporate, and Inga Beale, global chief underwriting officer and head of organizational transformation, and will be based in Zurich, Switzerland.

Since joining Zurich in 1987 as a commercial apprentice, he held various sales, underwriting and risk management positions in Switzerland and Spain. In 2007, he was appointed to his current position as CEO Zurich Global Corporate Switzerland.

In their new positions, Fairhead and Beer will be responsible for leading the underwriting function, setting underwriting strategy and driving continuous improvement in their business division’s underwriting performance.

Source: Zurich Financial Services Group