Howden appoints new CEO of Germany to replace Sturani
International insurance broker Howden has revealed a major milestone in further integrating its business in Germany and appointed a new chief executive officer (CEO), who will take over the reins from Luigi Sturani.
Karl-Heinz Holz (pictured) has been appointed as new CEO of Howden Deutschland AG (Howden Germany), effective as of October 2023. Serving as a key member of the leadership team in Germany for many years, he will take over his new role from Sturani, CEO Europe and interim CEO of Germany in recent months.
Holz has extensive expertise and experience of the German insurance sector, having been a member of the Board of EUROASSEKURANZ, Howden’s largest brand in the German market, for the last five years and which he has led as CEO since 2021. Prior to that, he worked for Allianz Group in different roles.
In his new role, Holz will focus on further strengthening customer satisfaction and integrating the service and product offering of the Group in Germany, working closely together with Howden’s Group Executive Committee as well as the local management team.
The new Howden Deutschland entity is created from what is currently EUROASSEKURANZ, which will form the future core of Howden’s operating activities in Germany. Holz is joined by Kai Bockelmann (CEO of Himmelseher Sports Insurance), Marcel Braun (CEO of hendricks) and Axel Meyer (Managing Director of Howden Caninenberg) and together the new board will form a freshly aligned leadership team to harness the collective power of the German businesses behind one Howden brand.
Howden believes its re-shaped business in Germany will significantly support the group’s future ambitions for the region, foster cooperation across different product lines and strengthen visibility and profile in the market. The hendricks wholesale activity as well as Himmelseher Sports insurance complement the broker activities in Germany and will remain as independent companies and brands.
Sturani, CEO Europe, Howden Broking, said: “I am thrilled that Karl-Heinz has agreed to lead our strong and established operations in Germany as CEO. He embodies the virtues that make a great leader – deep knowledge of our business both from a client and product point of view, complemented by modern management skills across all operations. The new Howden Deutschland board perfectly represents Howden’s culture, combining the strength of a global broker with the personal touch of a group with employee ownership at its heart. We always put our people first, knowing that the clients will follow. I am absolutely convinced that, under the leadership of Karl-Heinz, Kai, Marcel and Axel, Howden Deutschland is perfectly positioned for future success.”
Holz added: “I feel very honored and look forward to working together with Kai, Marcel and Axel as well as our great team in Germany to continue achieving the best results for our customers day by day. What sets us apart is our employees and the entrepreneurial spirit, which is a fundamental part of our DNA. The entrepreneurship is what allows our people to focus on the needs of our clients and offer them unique expertise. Our culture is the most valuable thing we own, and I will work hard to continuously strengthen it further.”
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