Walter B. Kielholz (1951), Swiss
Chairman, non-executive and independent

Career

Walter B. Kielholz began his career at the General Reinsurance Corporation, Zurich, in 1976. In 1986, he joined Credit Suisse, where he was responsible for banking relationships with large insurance groups. He joined Swiss Re in 1989 where he became an Executive Board member in 1993 and was Chief Executive Officer from 1997 to 2002. He was Executive Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors from 2003 to 2006 and Vice Chairman from 2007 until he was nominated Chairman in 2009. In addition, he chairs the Chairman’s and Governance Committee of the Swiss Re Board.

External appointments

• Board member of Credit Suisse Group AG
• Chairman of the European Financial Services Round Table, where the Chairman and CEOs of the largest European financial institutions meet regularly
• Board member of the Institute of International Finance
• Member of the Board of Trustees of Avenir Suisse, the liberal Swiss think tank
• Chairman of the Zurich Art Society, the organisation that is in charge of the Zurich Kunsthaus

Educational background

• Business finance and accounting degree, University of St.Gallen, Switzerland