Zurich commercial insurance CEO to depart; successor revealed

Zurich Insurance Group has appointed Sierra Signorelli to the role of chief executive officer (CEO) for commercial insurance and as a member of the executive committee, succeeding James Shea who has decided to leave to pursue opportunities outside the company.

Signorelli is currently group chief underwriting officer of Zurich. Her successor will be announced in due course.

Signorelli joined Zurich in July 2017 and has long experience in the insurance industry having held senior leadership positions in the US, Asia and Switzerland. Zurich said she transformed its underwriting function, strengthened its resilience, and ensured delivery of differentiated services and solutions to customers.

Mario Greco, group chief executive officer, said: “Sierra has extensive experience and knowledge of the insurance industry and is a proven and passionate people leader. Her broad skillset, her deep understanding of our business and culture, and her strong customer focus make Sierra the perfect fit for this role. I am confident Sierra will continue to successfully advance our commercial insurance capabilities and ensure the continued success of the business.”

Shea joined Zurich in September 2016 when the group combined its corporate and commercial businesses into a single global business unit. Under his leadership, Zurich said it has regained its position in the commercial insurance industry through a focus on underwriting discipline, while investing in skills, tools and capabilities to ensure success through the insurance cycles.

Greco added: “I want to thank Jim for his dedication to Zurich and excellent contributions to our business. He has repositioned Commercial Insurance to achieve sustained profitability and to meet our large corporate customers’ evolving and complex needs. I wish Jim all the success for his future endeavors.”

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