Media releaseZurichMarch 8, 20194 min read

Zurich releases its Annual Report and Annual Review 2018

  • Zurich embraced a customer-led transformation and has delivered one of the top total shareholder returns in the insurance sector
  • The Group is focused on creating sustainable value for customers, employees, investors along with communities and society
  • Employees helped introduce changes to make Zurich more flexible, agile and faster through the Group-wide ‘Make the Difference’ initiative
  • Zurich nominates new Board appointments in advance of its Annual General Meeting on April 3, 2019

Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) has today published its 2018 Annual Report and Annual Review.

Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) has today published its 2018 Annual Report and Annual Review. Available online, both the Report and the Review outline Zurich’s strategy, targets and achievements. The publications also highlight how the company is delivering a customer-led transformation to position it to succeed in a changing business environment, and is creating sustainable value for its stakeholders.

“Two years after the launch of our customer-led strategy for the digital age, Zurich is now well-positioned to face the transformation affecting our industry from a position of strength. I am particularly proud of our progress in improving our customers’ satisfaction, in attracting and retaining a diverse workforce, encouraging a more innovative and entrepreneurial culture, and becoming one of the leaders in sustainability within our industry. We are set to achieve or beat all the targets of our 2017 to 2019 plan,” said Group Chief Executive Officer Mario Greco.

The Annual Report provides a detailed overview of Zurich’s strategy, structure, executive bodies, corporate governance, remuneration, risk management, financial review and thoughts on the business environment. For the first time, it also features detailed metrics showing Zurich’s progress on sustainability.

The Annual Review provides examples of how Zurich is delivering on its strategy by creating sustainable value for its investors, customers, employees, communities and society. The stakeholder section of the Review provides information on key initiatives such as:

  • The Zurich Innovation World Championship, which attracted some of the best and brightest startups and young entrepreneurs from around the world. Over 450 individual entries were narrowed down to four global winners whose products will ultimately benefit our customers.
  • How Zurich is supporting global flood resilience, including in western Nepal, where we are helping people threatened by repeated flooding to allow them to live more stable and prosperous lives.
  • How Zurich is tapping tech-focused events such as hackathons to identify and recruit skilled individuals who can think innovatively and assist us in providing customer-driven technology-led solutions.

Today Zurich also published its Sustainability highlights 2018 report, underscoring its commitment to the communities in which the Group operates and to society as a whole. The report gives an overview of our key sustainability achievements including our continued commitment to the United Nations Global Compact and to the Principles for Sustainable Insurance.

Annual General Meeting – April 3, 2019

Zurich has published today the invitation to the Annual General Meeting on April 3, 2019, and the Board of Directors’ report on the approval of the remuneration of the Board of Directors and of the Executive Committee.

Zurich has proposed three new members to stand for election to its Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting.

In February 2019, the company announced that is has nominated to the Board Michael Halbherr, an investor, board member and advisor for early-stage technology companies, and Barry Stowe, who brings extensive business experience and knowledge gained through executive roles in the insurance industry in North America and Asia.

In December 2018, Zurich also nominated Jasmin Staiblin, formerly chief executive officer of Alpiq, a leading Swiss energy services provider, to the Board. Ms. Staiblin has extensive leadership and industry experience.

David Nish, a member of the Board since 2016, will not stand for re-election.

Subject to the election and re-election of the members of the Board by the shareholders on April 3, 2019, the Board of Directors of Zurich will consist of the following members:


Further information
More information about Zurich’s corporate governance structure can be found here.

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Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading multi-line insurer that serves its customers in global and local markets. With about 54,000 employees, it provides a wide range of property and casualty, and life insurance products and services in more than 210 countries and territories. Zurich’s customers include individuals, small businesses, and mid-sized and large companies, as well as multinational corporations. The Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1872. The holding company, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (ZURN), is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and has a level I American Depositary Receipt (ZURVY) program, which is traded over-the-counter on OTCQX. Further information about Zurich is available at www.zurich.com.