Appointments of Michael Kerner and Mark Talbot

Zurich, June 18, 2007 – Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich) has today announced the appointment of the following people to key positions within its General Insurance segment:

Michael Kerner (41, American) becomes Global Chief Underwriting Officer for General Insurance with immediate effect. He succeeds Timothy Mitchell. While he retains his current position as Head of Group Strategy, Michael will relinquish the position as Head of Group Reinsurance. As Zurich's Global Chief Underwriting Officer, he is responsible for setting underwriting policy, overseeing the underwriting and actuarial pricing processes for General Insurance and leading The Zurich Way of Underwriting. He reports to John Amore, CEO General Insurance, and is located in Zurich.

Having served in a number of senior roles with the Zurich Financial Services Group and with Zurich North America Commercial since 1992, Michael’s background includes extensive experience in underwriting, actuarial, operations, finance and reinsurance. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from the State University of New York at Binghamton, and is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. 

Mark Talbot (42, Australian) becomes Global Head of Group Reinsurance effective immediately. He succeeds Michael Kerner who has been appointed Global Chief Underwriting Officer for General Insurance. In his new position, Mark is responsible for the management, development and implementation of Zurich's global reinsurance policies and strategy on a worldwide basis. He reports to John Amore, CEO General Insurance, and is located in Zurich.

Mark was formerly Head of Reinsurance Management in Zurich. He joined Zurich in 2002 as Head of Ceded Reinsurance, and prior to that served in a variety of management roles for a global reinsurer in Singapore and Sydney. He holds an economics degree from Macquarie University in Sydney, is a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance, and a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia.