Vernon L. Sankey

Vernon Louis Sankey  became a member of the Boards of Zurich Financial Services (now Zurich Group Holding), Zurich Allied AG and Allied Zurich plc in 1998 after the merger between B.A.T Financial Services and Zurich Insurance Company. After the completion of the unification of Zurich Financial Services (now Zurich Group Holding) and Zurich Allied AG in October 2000, he became a member of the Board of Zurich Financial Services. Since April 16, 2004 he has also been a member of the Board of Zurich Insurance Company.

Mr. Sankey joined Reckitt and Colman in the UK in 1971, subsequently working in France, Denmark and the US. He was appointed to the board of directors in 1989 and was chief executive officer of that company from 1991 to 1999.

Mr. Sankey was chairman of Photo-Me International plc from 2000 until September 2007. From 2001 until June 2007 he was a director of Cofra AG, Switzerland, and from 2004 until July 2007 of Taylor Woodrow plc. He has been a director of Vividas Group plc since 2005. As of January 1, 2006, he has been a member of the supervisory board of Atos Origin SA, Paris, and since October 10, 2006 of Firmenich SA, Geneva. He was chairman of Thomson Travel Group plc until August 2000 and of Gala Group Holdings plc until February 2003 and of The Really Effective Development Company Ltd until March 2006. He also was a director of Pearson plc until April 2006 and is former board member of the UK's Food Standards Agency. In addition to his board roles, he is an advisor to a number of other companies.

Mr. Sankey graduated with a MA degree from Oriel College, Oxford.