Charles Relecom, 55, has been appointed CEO France following Jacques Richier’s move to Allianz Group, which was announced on 18 April 2008. Charles Relecom will take up his new position on 1 July 2008. The Belgian joined Swiss Life’s subsidiary «La Suisse» in 1994 and became its CEO in 2000. In 2005, after «La Suisse» was integrated into Swiss Life, he moved to Swiss Life in Belgium, initially as CEO of Zelia S.A. and, from February 2006, as CEO for Swiss Life's entire Belgian business. Originally an actuary with master degrees from the Belgian universities of Namur and Louvain, he began his career by working for Swiss Life between 1978 and 1988. Group CEO Bruno Pfister on the appointment: “Charles knows our business inside out and has proven his outstanding leadership abilities in a number of challenging situations. He has the background and profile it takes to successfully drive our business in France.”
Ivo Furrer to succeed Paul Müller as CEO Switzerland
Ivo Furrer, 51, will replace Paul Müller as CEO Switzerland as of 1 September 2008. Paul Müller, who joined Swiss Life in January 2003, will withdraw from business operations on this date. He is due to be nominated for election to Swiss Life’s Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting in May 2009.
Ivo Furrer has been working for Zurich Financial Services Group since 2002, most recently as CEO Life Switzerland and member of the Global Life Executive Committee. He has acquired over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry in Switzerland and abroad. Ivo Furrer graduated in law after studying at the universities of Zurich and Fribourg and earned his PhD with a thesis on occupational provisions in 1985. Group CEO Bruno Pfister commented on the appointment as follows: "Ivo is a strong leader with an in-depth knowledge of our industry. His versatility and broad international experience will also be an asset to Swiss Life’s Corporate Executive Board.”
The Board of Directors and the Corporate Executive Board have expressed their gratitude to Paul Müller for his major contribution to the company’s success in recent years. In the words of Bruno Gehrig, Chairman of the Board of Directors: “Paul was a key figure in Swiss Life’s turnaround convincing employees and customers of Swiss Life's potential and delivering the required results. I would like to thank Paul very warmly for the crucial part he has played in our company’s success and am delighted that he will remain with us, strengthening the Board of Directors with his wealth of experience and knowledge of our business.”
The curricula vitae and photographs of Charles Relecom and Ivo Furrer are available at www.swisslife.com/relecom and www.swisslife.com/furrer.
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The Swiss Life Group is one of Europe's leading providers of life insurance and pension solutions. The Group offers individuals and corporations a broad range of products combined with comprehensive advice through its own sales force as well as brokers and banks in Switzerland, France and Germany. It provides internationally operating corporations with employee benefits solutions from a single source, and is among the global leaders in structured life and pension products for high net worth individuals with its centres of competence in Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and Singapore.
Swiss Life is the majority shareholder of the Hanover-based AWD Group, one of Europe's top financial services providers for the medium- and high-income customer segments. AWD offers its clients independent financial advisory services. It employs over 6300 financial consultants in ten European countries.
Swiss Life Holding, registered in Zurich, was founded in 1857 as Schweizerische Rentenanstalt. The shares of Swiss Life Holding are listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange (SLHN).
This publication contains specific forward-looking statements, e.g. statements including terms like “believe”, “assume”, “expect” or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may result in a substantial divergence between the actual results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and those explicitly or implicitly presumed in these statements. Against the background of these uncertainties, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The company assumes no responsibility to update forward-looking statements or to adapt them to future events or developments.