QBE Europe Promotes Tonchev and Jenny

QBE’s European division announced that Petko Tonchev has been promoted to General Manager for Central and Eastern Europe and Felix Jenny will take up the interim position of General Manager of QBE‟s German operation. Both roles are effective immediately. They will report to Terry Whittaker, QBE European Operations Managing Director for Distribution.

“This development comes as Doron Grossman, currently Managing Director of QBE‟s European Markets, will be returning to Australia to become Executive General Manager – Affiliated Businesses for QBE Australia in Sydney,” the bulletin explained. He takes up his new position in September, 2010.

Tonchev will take over responsibility for driving QBE’s “business forward” and maximizing “development opportunities through a more focused management and operational approach across the region.” QBE‟s Central and Eastern Europe business comprises Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine.

Tonchev joined QBE in 2000 and was appointed as General Manager – Bulgaria, in 2002. In 2009, he also took the interim responsibility as General Manager for Germany.

Jenny joined QBE following the acquisition of Anex Jenni & Partner AG in 2006 and subsequently became General Manager of QBE in Switzerland. He has now also been appointed as General Manager, Germany on an interim basis and “will support QBE in its search for a permanent head for its German operation. His focus is to further develop the performance of the German branch through building broker relationships and growing the local team.”

Steven Burns, CEO of QBE European Operations commented: “Not only do these appointments reflect QBE‟s significant growth over the past few years in the region, but they also demonstrate our continued commitment to further build our European offering.”

He also noted that Grossmann had “been a great ambassador for QBE European Operations and has played a key role in our expansion over the past decade, as General Manager for Hungary and then Central and Eastern Europe, and most recently as Managing Director for European Markets.”

Whittaker added: “With experience as General Manager for both QBE’s Bulgarian and German operations, Petko has a solid understanding of the European markets is well placed to harness and develop QBE‟s presence within the wider Central and Eastern European region going forward.

“Germany is an important market for QBE and Felix will be a great asset to the development of this operation and to the search for a permanent General Manager to take the business forward.”

Source: QBE Europe

Topics Europe Germany