Everest Re announces executive changes

Everest Re, the Bermuda-based holding company, has made a number of senior appointments. John Doucette has been named president and chief executive officer (CEO) of its reinsurance division, Jonathan Zaffino has been appointed president of the North America insurance division, and Michael Kerner will be joining the company as executive vice president and head of strategy and risk management.  All of the appointments will be effective from April 1, 2016.  In his new role Doucette will have oversight of all reinsurance underwriting and claims operations worldwide. He was previously executive vice president for the reinsurer – a role he had been in since 2008.  Zaffino joined Everest in 2015 as president of Everest National/US insurance operations. In this expanded role, he will assume oversight of the firm’s Canadian insurance operation, which has been realigned with the US into a North American region. Zaffino will also assume oversight of the reinsurer’s accident & health and insurance claims operations. Kerner joins Everest from Zurich Insurance Group, where he most recently held the position of CEO – General Insurance. Kerner spent 24 years with Zurich, having served in various actuarial, reinsurance, underwriting and strategy roles, including CEO – Global Corporate in North America, global head of group reinsurance, general insurance chief underwriting officer and group head of strategy.  Dominic Addesso, president and CEO of Everest Re, said: “John is an incredibly talented and intelligent executive. Our underwriting operations have benefited greatly from his guidance and management, and he is extremely capable of leading one of the best and largest reinsurance operations in the world.” He also claimed Zaffino will be “instrumental” to the success of the organisation and said Kerner will be a strong addition to Everest Re’s executive management group.