Alison Martin to replace Amanda Blanc as Zurich CEO EMEA and bank distribution

Zurich Insurance Group has appointed Alison Martin to the role of chief executive officer (CEO) Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) and bank distribution with immediate effect.

She succeeds Amanda Blanc who recently left the business, less than a year after joining the group from AXA in October 2018.

The insurer said Martin will continue to oversee the group risk management function for a limited period of time until a successor has been found.

Martin joined Zurich in October 2017 and assumed the role of group chief risk officer in January 2018. She will retain her responsibilities for driving forward the company's sustainability agenda into her new role.

Martin came to Zurich from Swiss Re, where she was head of life & health business management globally for four years. In her 14 years at Swiss Re, she held a series of senior management positions focused on transformation, commercial business and value creation.

Mario Greco, Zurich's group chief executive officer, said: “Alison is perfectly suited for this role. She is an enthusiastic leader who combines industry expertise with the right mix of customer focus, people management and commercial experience. She is a mature leader with a strong international background. I am confident she will successfully expand our capabilities to meet customer needs in the region. She knows our culture, she knows our business and is well suited to take our EMEA business to the next level.”

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