Zurich targets industry sectors with Global Industry Specialization Program

ZURICH, Switzerland – Zurich Financial Services Group has launched its Global Industry Specialization Program, a group-wide initiative that enables Zurich to better leverage its existing knowledge base and expertise in general insurance and to further expand its risk insights into specific industry sectors.

The program aims at improving the way Zurich serves customers and distributors by developing differentiated customer propositions and offering tailored risk management solutions as well as a Zurich point of view on how an individual industry is dealing with its risks.

The program is an integral part of Zurich’s Customer and Distribution Management Strategy, which is focused on efforts to make Zurich a more customer centric organization while leveraging its many distribution channels.

The Global Industry Specialization Program will effectively function as a global practice leadership, where leaders from Zurich's various divisions, functions and geographies can share knowledge and build upon expertise gained from their various experiences. As such, they will develop far-reaching insights on current and future trends that may impact the industry, as well as the capability to quickly respond with people, products and information resources to a changing risk environment anywhere in the world.

As part of the Global Industry Specialization Program, Zurich has created a global industry framework leading off with the following three sectors — automotive, construction and real estate — with plans to add other sectors over time.

Zurich’s newly appointed Global Industry Leader for the Automotive Industry is Joerg Waelder (German citizen), the new Global Industry Leader for the Construction Industry is Terry Gray (US citizen), and the Global Industry Leader for the Real Estate Industry is Richard Elliott (British citizen). Collectively, they have over 70 years experience in the insurance industry and bring a network of highly specialized individuals to the Global Industry Specialization Program. All report to Rocco Maggiotto, Executive Vice President and Head of Zurich’s Global Customer and Distribution Management function for General Insurance.