The Geneva Association has appointed two new senior staff members to focus on liability risks and its engagement with China.
Darren Pain has been appointed as Director Evolving Liability, where he is to lead the Evolving Liability research programme.
Previously, he led the research for the Swiss Re Institute and has held various roles in central banking. His role will come into place on January 1st.
Jianzhong Yao has been hired as Senior Advisor for China, where he will be the Association’s key liaison with the country.
He was most recently the Chief Representative of Asia Capital Reinsurance (ACR) in China and has years of experience in insurance and risk management. Yao’s position took place on November 1st.
The Geneva Association has made these hires in order to support insurers as they come to terms with present and emerging liability risks, including those linked to COVID-19. The hires are also a bid to fortify links with the Chinese insurance industry and decision-makers
Jad Ariss, Managing Director, said: “I extend a warm welcome to Darren Pain and Jianzhong Yao. As global challenges become more complex, so do liability risks for the global insurance industry. Darren’s expertise will help us address the issues that are already here and those on the horizon, from social inflation to the insurability of new technologies.
“At the same time, we must ensure a strong, two-way exchange with all Geneva Association members and the markets they operate in. Jianzhong has an important role to play for us in China, the second largest insurance market in the world and a rapidly growing one.”
Pain said: “With a truly global reach, membership body of insurance CEOs and deep connections to academia and other think tanks, The Geneva Association has the perfect vantage point to push the frontiers of research and tackle real-world issues facing the insurance sector.
“I am very much looking forward to contributing to that research and helping to improve the broader understanding of insurance’s important societal role in managing risk.”
Yao added: “I am very honoured to join the Geneva Association team and look forward to strengthening the organisation’s cooperation with stakeholders in China.
“The Geneva Association is unique in its ability to convene the global re/insurance industry and relevant decision-makers, and I hope to help increase China’s representation in these conversations as well as The Geneva Association’s profile in the region.”
