Hitesh Kotak will lead Munich Re’s Property & Causality (P&C) business in Japan, India, Korea and South-East Asia
Surbhi Goel will be relocate to Mumbai from Singapore to be CEO India with effect from October 2024. Florian Gruson will be appointed CEO Japan
“Munich Re has grown strongly and profitably in Asia Pacific & Africa in recent years. One building block of this success has been the transfer of know-how and decision-making authorities to the region”Achim Kassow, member of the Board of Management responsible for Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa
Munich:
Munich Re. the largest global reinsurer, in a major rejig, has further strengthened its in-market underwriting leadership in Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (APAC MEA) from 1 July 2024.
The mandate of local market underwriting positions of the reinsurer will be strengthened. The high level of expertise that has been built in Munich Re’s underwriting units allows for greater localisation of the underwriting teams and closer client proximity in-country. At the same time, Munich Re is sharpening the focus of its business divisions in the region, said Munich Re on Thursday.
Japan, India, Korea and South-East Asia
Hitesh Kotak will lead Munich Re’s Property & Causality (P&C) business in Japan, India, Korea and South-East Asia from July 1 and will shift his base from Mumbai to Singapore afterwards.
Hitesh has been responsible for Munich Re’s P&C operations in India, Middle East & Africa since 1 January 2023. In addition, he is CEO India since 2017. He joined the group in 2014 and paved the way for the establishment of Munich Re’s India Branch.
Munich Re has managed to develop business portfolio of more than Rs 10,000 crore($1.2 billion) under Kotak’s leadership.
Roland Eckl will be responsible for Australasia, Greater China, MENA, Africa and for the Cyber business in APAC MEA and will relocated to Munich from Singapore.
Roland has been chief executive responsible for Australasia, Japan, Korea and South-East Asia since 1 January 2023. He was responsible for establishing the group’s regional Centre for P&C business in Singapore in 2016.
India
Surbhi Goel will relocate to Mumbai to be CEO India with effect from October 2024, subject to regulatory approval. Surbhi has been based in Singapore heading P&C South-East Asia since 2022 and prior to this was in senior underwriting, business and reinsurance roles at a leading insurer in India since 2008.
Japan
Florian Gruson will be appointed CEO Japan, subject to regulatory approval. Florian has been leading global sales and distribution for the group in Munich since 2021, and prior to this he led the Japan Client Management team for three years. Florian succeeds Brian Jinzenji, who will retire later this year.
Haruka Narahashi will expand her current responsibility as head of Treaty Underwriting Japan to Korea. She has been with the Group since 2017 in senior roles leading Property Treaty and Underwriting.
Korea
Ajeet Phatak will be appointed CEO Korea and will relocate to Seoul. This appointment takes effect from 1 August 2024 and is subject to regulatory approval. He has been heading Client Management in Japan since 2021 and prior to this, he led India’s successful Agro business unit and was part of the startup team for the India Branch.
South-East Asia
Michael Hauer will take up the role of Head of P&C South-East Asia based in Singapore. He has been CEO, Korea since 2019. This appointment is effective 1 September 2024, following a handover with Ajeet Phatak.
Joachim Zagrosek will be Head of Treaty P&C Underwriting South-East Asia & India. This follows a successful three years leading the regional underwriting Centre for Japan, Korea, India and South-East Asia.
Greater China
Serene Chan will be appointed Head of P&C Greater China, based in Beijing. She has led the growth of the Cyber business in Asia Pacific since 2018.
MENA
Belhassen Tonat will be appointed Client Management Executive MENA, based in Dubai and will be responsible for the MENA region and the establishment of the new Dubai P&C Desk. He succeeds Andreas Pollmann who will focus as Client Management Lead Israel based in Munich.
These changes affect Munich Re’s Property & Casualty operations in APAC MEA only.
Achim Kassow, member of the Board of Management responsible for Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa said, “Munich Re has grown strongly and profitably in Asia Pacific & Africa in recent years. One building block of this success has been the transfer of know-how and decision-making authorities to the region. We are now taking the next step in this process – Munich Re’s revised set-up in the region will be leaner at the top and closer to the markets.”