Eckert to Retire as Zurich COO
Zurich Financial Services Group announced that “after more than 25 years of dedicated service to Zurich, its employees, its shareholders and its customers, Peter Eckert will be retiring effective February 28, 2007.”
CEO James J. Schiro commented: “Peter served as an invaluable source of advice, judgement and support, and his tireless commitment to the Group and its people was exemplary. Peter’s business experience, management capabilities and industry knowledge will be missed, while his passion, wit and personal charm will be remembered.”
Eckert first joined the Group in 1980 as CEO of Zurich’s Portuguese subsidiary, followed by an assignment as CEO of Zurich Australia. In 1991, he became a member of the Group Executive Committee with responsibilities over Asia, Australia, Latin America and Southern Europe. Three years later, he was appointed CEO of Zurich’s Swiss operations, which he ran until 2001. In 2001, he was asked to build up a European Business Division, but had to hand over this project in early 2002 when he was appointed Group Chief Operating Officer. In that role he “applied his 20 years of hands-on operational experience and enthusiastic leadership style to overseeing implementation of the Group-wide performance metric ‘Business Operating Profit,'” said the bulletin.
“He also lent his expertise, intellect and extensive language skills to many other aspects of the Group’s operations, ranging from overseeing Group IT, Reinsurance, Discontinued Operations, the Center runoff and Zurich’s efforts in China. Outside the Group, he contributed to various industry bodies, culminating with his chairmanship of the European Insurance Association (known as the CEA) between 1998 and 2001.”