Tracy Ryan, who currently leads Allianz Commercial operations in the Americas, will leave her position on the AGCS SE Board at the end of 2024. Ryan will transition to a new role as CEO of the National Council on Compensation Insurance, a US-based nonprofit workers’ compensation service provider.
Chris Townsend, member of the Allianz SE Board and CEO Allianz Commercial, noted Ryan’s contributions to the organisation, highlighting her efforts in strengthening Allianz Commercial’s presence in the Americas.
“I would like to thank Tracy for her leadership in repositioning Allianz Commercial in North America and creating a strong foundation for the future profitable growth of our business across the strategically important Americas region. I am pleased to confirm the new appointments from within our existing team at Allianz Commercial, reflecting the global talent pool we have in the organisation,” said Townsend.
Following this organisational change, Shanil Williams, the current chief underwriting officer, will assume Ryan's responsibilities, effective early 2025. Meanwhile, starting December 1, 2024, Vanessa Maxwell, currently global head of financial lines and cyber, will join the board as chief underwriting officer, succeeding Williams. Both appointments are subject to regulatory approvals.
Additional leadership changes include the appointment of Jarrod Schlesinger as global head of financial lines and cyber, replacing Maxwell. Schlesinger currently serves as regional head of financial lines in North America.
Furthermore, Jenise Klein, regional head of property - North America, will take on the newly established role of chief underwriting officer for North America.
Both Schlesinger and Klein will maintain their existing duties until their successors are named.
In a separate development, Allianz Commercial has elevated Gabrielle Durisch to the role of chief sustainability officer, effective December 1, 2024. Durisch, currently global head of sustainability solutions, will oversee global sustainability initiatives and report to CEO Chris Townsend.
has been with AGCS since 2016, holding roles in New Zealand, Munich, and globally for financial lines. Maxwell, a senior insurance leader with over 20 years in the field, joined Allianz in 2022 and expanded her responsibilities to cyber in 2024. Schlesinger and Klein bring deep expertise from previous roles at Chubb and Zurich Insurance, respectively, while Durisch has a strong background in sustainability from her tenure at Zurich Insurance Group.
What do you think about Allianz’s latest leadership changes and their potential impact on its operations? Share your views in the comments.
