ACE Appoints Two Senior Leaders in European Management Team

ACE Group announced two appointments within its European management team, with immediate effect.

Drazen Jaksic, currently executive vice president for Combined Insurance in Europe and Asia Pacific, has been appointed to the role of senior vice president, Accident and Health for Europe and Eurasia and Africa. In his new role, Jaksic will be responsible for the performance and future development of ACE’s accident and health and life business across these regions. Jaksic succeeds Pat Drinan, who has decided to move on from ACE after almost 13 years with the company.

Jaksic has more than 20 years of insurance industry experience in both the U.K. and Continental Europe. After working in various senior management roles, including at GE Capital and Prudential UK, he joined ACE in July 2012 as general manager for Combined Insurance, Europe, and subsequently assumed additional responsibility for Combined’s businesses in the Asia Pacific region.

In his new role, Jaksic will continue to be based in London, reporting to Andrew Kendrick, president of ACE European Group, and Edward M. Levin, senior vice president, ACE Group, and division president, Accident and Health, for ACE Overseas General.

In another appointment, Rahim Firozali, currently general manager of Combined Insurance in Portugal, has been promoted to the role of general manager for Combined in Europe, succeeding Jaksic. In his new role, Firozali will be responsible for the performance and future development of Combined Insurance’s European operations, which currently include businesses in the U.K., Portugal and Germany.

Firozali joined Combined Insurance 18 years ago after working in investment banking. In 2010, he was appointed as general manager for Combined in Portugal and legal representative for the Portuguese branch of ACE European Group Ltd. In his new role, Firozali will continue to be based in Portugal and to lead the Combined Portugal business. He will report to Andrew Kendrick, President of ACE European Group, with a matrix reporting line into Brad Bennett, president of Combined Insurance.

Andrew Kendrick, president of ACE European Group, said that 2015 is ending on a high note with these two appointments.

Jaksic’s energy and drive in leading Combined in Europe, along with “his deep understanding of the consumer insurance market gained throughout his career,make him well placed to head our important regional accident and health business,” said Kendrick.

Commenting on Firozali’s appointment, Kendrick said, his “extensive experience of our Combined businesses and his ability to drive growth In Portugal throughout a challenging time for the economy, equip him strongly for his new role.”

“Drazen [Jaksic] succeeds Patrick Drinan, who leaves the company with our sincere thanks for his significant contribution to our property and casualty and accident and health businesses in Europe over more than a decade of service. All of us on the European executive team wish him well for the future.”

Source: ACE Group

Topics Europe Leadership