Global reinsurance giant Swiss Re has made another senior appointment within its commercial insurance focused arm, naming Melanie Slack as CEO Australia & New Zealand for Swiss Re Corporate Solutions.
Slack has been with Swiss Re since 2002, gaining international experience across a variety of senior management positions in Asia, Europe and the United States. Currently she is Head Life & Health Products for Swiss Re Asia, a role in which she manages a large team across eight locations in Asia-Pacific including Australia.
Slack will relocate from Hong Kong to Sydney, Australia for the new role, with the position effective immediately.
As the CEO for Australia & New Zealand at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, Slack will manage the strategy, development and performance of Swiss Re’s presence in the Australian and New Zealand commercial insurance markets.
“Melanie is a recognised re/insurance industry expert and a proven leader who has been instrumental in the growth of Swiss Re Group’s operations in Asia,” commented Fred Kleiterp, CEO of Asia-Pacific. “In her new role, Melanie will execute on Corporate Solutions’ local strategy, working with brokers to provide innovative insurance programmes for mid-sized corporate clients and large multinational corporations.”
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions offers a range of commercial insurance solutions in the Australia and New Zealand markets, such as property and liability insurance policies, weather derivatives and products for the agriculture, energy, infrastructure and mining sectors, from offices in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
Slack commented on her appointment; “I’m excited to work with our team of claims, risk engineering and underwriting specialists to help clients build resilience through traditional and innovative risk transfer solutions.”
Swiss Re has made a number of senior appointments in its Corporate Solutions unit lately, reflecting its desire to bring more premiums in from primary sources, which can ultimately lead to higher margins and less competition as it puts an increasing amount of its expertise to work in underwriting solutions for corporates instead of competing for insurers business at reinsurance renewals.
