Zurich Insurance Group has announced the appointment of Alison Martin to the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) and Bank Distribution, effective immediately.
She succeeds Amanda Blanc, whose surprise departure from Zurich was announced last week after less than nine months in the role.
Sources at the Financial Times reported that Blanc had stepped down due to a “personality clash” with CEO Mario Greco.
Martin joined Zurich in October 2017 and assumed her most recent role as Group Chief Risk Officer in January 2018.
She will continue to oversee the Group Risk Management function for a limited period of time until a suitable successor has been found, the company explained.
While at Zurich, Martin helped to enhance risk management in all of the company’s businesses, with an increasing focus on managing risks from the digital transformation of the industry.
She joined Zurich from Swiss Re, where she served for a total of 14 years, culminating in a four years as Head of Life & Health Business Management.
At Swiss Re, Martin also held a series of senior management positions focused on transformation, commercial business and value creation.
“Alison is perfectly suited for this role,” said CEO Mario Greco. “She is an enthusiastic leader who combines industry expertise with the right mix of customer focus, people management and commercial experience. She is a mature leader with a strong international background.”
“I am confident she will successfully expand our capabilities to meet customer needs in the region,” he added. “She knows our culture, she knows our business and is well suited to take our EMEA business to the next level.”
