Board of Directors
Click on the image below to read the biography of the respective Board member
Raymond K.F. Ch’ien
Member, non-executive and independent
Born: 1952
Nationality: Chinese
Raymond K.F. Ch’ien was elected to the Board of Directors of Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd in 2008 and to the Board of Directors of Swiss Re Ltd in connection with its formation in 2011. He is a member of the Compensation Committee and the Investment Committee.
Professional experience
Raymond K.F. Ch’ien was Group Managing Director of Lam Soon Hong Kong Group from 1984 to 1997, Chairman of CDC Corporation from 1999 to 2011 and Chairman of MTR Corporation Limited from 2003 to 2015.
External appointments
- Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hang Seng Bank Ltd
- Board member of China Resources Power Holdings Company Ltd and the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd
- Member of the Economic Development Commission of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR
- Honorary President of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries
Educational background
- PhD in Economics, University of Pennsylvania, US
C. Robert Henrikson
Member, non-executive and independent
Born: 1947
Nationality: American
C. Robert Henrikson was elected to the Board of Directors of Swiss Re Ltd in 2012. He chairs the Compensation Committee and is a member of the Chairman’s and Governance Committee and the Finance and Risk Committee.
Professional experience
C. Robert Henrikson was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MetLife, Inc. from 2006 to 2011. Before, he held senior positions in MetLife’s individual, group and pension businesses and became Chief Operating Officer of the company in 2004. C. Robert Henrikson is a former Chairman of the American Council of Life Insurers and of the Financial Services Forum, Director Emeritus of the American Benefits Council and a former member of the U.S. President’s Export Council.
External appointments
- Board member of Invesco Ltd
- Board member of AmeriCares
- Member of the Boards of Trustees of Emory University, S.S. Huebner Foundation for Insurance Education and Indian Springs School
- Board member of the Bipartisan Policy Center
Educational background
- Bachelor of Arts, University of Pennsylvania, US
- Juris Doctorate, Emory University, US
Susan L. Wagner
Member, non-executive and independent
Born: 1961
Nationality: American
Susan L. Wagner was elected to the Board of Directors of Swiss Re Ltd in 2014. She chairs the Investment Committee and is a member of the Chairman’s and Governance Committee and the Finance and Risk Committee.
Professional experience
Susan L. Wagner is a co-founder of BlackRock, where she served as Vice Chairman and a member of the Global Executive and Operating Committees before retiring in 2012. Over the course of her nearly 25 years at BlackRock, Susan L. Wagner served in several roles such as Chief Operating Officer, Head of Strategy, Corporate Development, Investor Relations, Marketing and Communications, Alternative Investments and International Client Businesses. Prior to founding BlackRock, Susan L. Wagner was a Vice President at Lehman Brothers supporting the investment banking and capital markets activities of mortgage and savings institutions.
External appointments
- Board member of Apple Inc. and BlackRock, Inc.
- Member of the Boards of Trustees of the Hackley School, US, and Wellesley College, US
Educational background
- BA in English and Economics, Wellesley College, US
- MBA in Finance, University of Chicago, US
Renato Fassbind
Vice Chairman and Lead Independent Director, non-executive and independent
Born: 1955
Nationality: Swiss
Renato Fassbind was elected to the Board of Directors of Swiss Re Ltd in 2011. He was appointed as Vice Chairman in 2012 and as Lead Independent Director in 2014. Renato Fassbind chairs the Audit Committee and is a member of the Chairman’s and Governance Committee and the Compensation Committee.
Professional experience
After two years with Kunz Consulting AG, Renato Fassbind joined F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd in 1984, becoming Head of Internal Audit in 1988. From 1986 to 1987, he worked as a public accountant with Peat Marwick in New Jersey, US. In 1990, he joined ABB Ltd as Head of Corporate Staff Audit and, from 1997 to 2002, was Chief Financial Officer and member of the Group Executive Committee. In 2002, he joined Diethelm Keller Holding Ltd as Group Chief Executive Officer. From 2004 to 2010, he was Chief Financial Officer and member of the Executive Board of Credit Suisse Group Ltd.
External appointments
- Board member of Nestlé S.A.
- Board member of Kühne + Nagel International Ltd.
Educational background
- PhD in Economics, University of Zurich, Switzerland
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Denver, US
Walter B. Kielholz
Chairman, non-executive
Born: 1951
Nationality: Swiss
Walter B. Kielholz was elected to the Board of Directors of Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd in 1998 and to the Board of Directors of Swiss Re Ltd in connection with its formation in 2011. He was Vice Chairman from 2003 to April 2009 and has been Chairman of the Board of Directors since May 2009. He chairs the Chairman’s and Governance Committee.
Professional experience
Walter B. Kielholz began his career at the General Reinsurance Corporation, Zurich, in 1976 where he held several positions in the US, UK and Italy before assuming responsibility for the company’s European marketing. In 1986, he joined Credit Suisse, where he was responsible for 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 also a member of the Board of Directors of Credit Suisse Group Ltd from 1999 to 2014 and served as Chairman from 2003 to 2009.
External appointments
- Vice Chairman of the Institute of International Finance
- Member of the European Financial Services Round Table
- Member of the Board of Trustees of Avenir Suisse
- Chairman of the Zurich Art Society
Educational background
- Business finance and accounting degree, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
Philip K. Ryan
Member, non-executive and independent
Born: 1956
Nationality: American
Philip K. Ryan was elected to the Board of Directors of Swiss Re Ltd in 2015. He chairs the Finance and Risk Committee and is a member of the Chairman’s and Governance Committee and the Audit Committee. He is also Chairman of Swiss Re America Holding Corporation.
Professional experience
Philip K. Ryan held various positions with Credit Suisse from 1985 to 2008, including Chairman of the Financial Institutions Group, Chief Financial Officer of Credit Suisse Group Ltd, Chief Financial Officer of Credit Suisse Asset Management, and Managing Director of CSFB Financial Institutions Group. He was Chief Financial Officer of the Power Corporation of Canada from 2008 to 2012. In that capacity, he was a director of IGM Financial Inc., Great-West Lifeco Inc., and several of their subsidiaries, including Putnam Investments.
External appointments
- Board member of Medley Management Inc.
- Operating Partner Corsair Capital
- Member of the Advisory Board of NY Green Bank
- Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern School of Business
- Member of the Smithsonian National Board
Educational background
- MBA, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, US
- Bachelor of Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois, US
Mary Francis, CBE
Member, non-executive and independent
Born: 1948
Nationality: British
Mary Francis was elected to the Board of Directors of Swiss Re Ltd in 2013. She is a member of the Audit Committee and the Finance and Risk Committee.
Professional experience
Mary Francis held a number of senior positions in the UK Treasury and Cabinet Office, including Financial Counsellor in the British Embassy in Washington DC, Private Secretary to the Prime Minister (John Major), and Deputy Private Secretary to the Queen. Between 1999 and 2005 she was Director General of the Association of British Insurers. She is a former non-executive Director of the Bank of England and Aviva plc, and was Senior Independent Director of the British energy company Centrica plc from 2006 to 2014.
External appointments
- Board member of Barclays plc and Barclays Bank plc
- Board member of Ensco plc
- Member of the UK Takeover Appeal Board
- Senior advisor to Chatham House
Educational background
- Master of Arts, Newnham College, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
Trevor Manuel
Member, non-executive and independent
Born: 1956
Nationality: South African
Trevor Manuel was elected to the Board of Directors of Swiss Re Ltd in 2015. He is a member of the Audit Committee and the Investment Committee.
Professional experience
Trevor Manuel served in the South African government for more than 20 years, including as Minister of Finance from 1996 to 2009 and as Minister in Presidency, responsible for the National Planning Commission, from 2009 to 2014. He held positions at international bodies, including the United Nations Commission for Trade and Development, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the G20, the African Development Bank and the Southern African Development Community. Trevor Manuel is Chancellor of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Professor Extraordinaire at the University of Johannesburg and Honorary Professor at the University of Cape Town.
External appointments
- Chairman of the Board of Directors of Old Mutual Group Holdings Ltd and board member of Old Mutual plc
- Deputy Chairman of Rothschild South Africa
- Member of the International Advisory Board of the Rothschild Group
Educational background
- National Diploma in Civil and Structural Engineering, Peninsula Technikon, South Africa
- Executive Management Programme, Stanford University, US
Rajna Gibson Brandon
Member, non-executive and independent
Born: 1962
Nationality: Swiss
Rajna Gibson Brandon was elected to the Board of Directors of Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd in 2000 and to the Board of Directors of Swiss Re Ltd in connection with its formation in 2011. She is a member of the Finance and Risk Committee and the Investment Committee.
Professional experience
Rajna Gibson Brandon is a Professor of Finance at the University of Geneva, Director and Member of the Foundation Board of the Geneva Institute for Wealth Management and Deputy Director of the Geneva Finance Research Institute. She held professorships at the University of Lausanne from 1991 to 2000 and the University of Zurich from 2000 to 2008. She was a member of the Swiss Federal Banking Commission from 1997 to 2004.
External appointments
- President of the Scientific Council of the Swiss Training Centre for Investment Professionals/AZEK
- Member of the Board of the Foundation Natixis for Quantitative Research
Educational background
- PhD in Economics and Social Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland
Carlos E. Represas
Member, non-executive and independent
Born: 1945
Nationality: Mexican
Carlos E. Represas was elected to the Board of Directors of Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd in 2010 and to the Board of Directors of Swiss Re Ltd in connection with its formation in 2011. He is a member of the Compensation Committee.
Professional experience
Between 1968 and 2004, Carlos E. Represas held various senior positions at Nestlé in the US, Latin America and Europe, including Executive Vice President and Head of the Americas of Nestlé S.A. in Switzerland from 1994 to 2004. He was Chairman of the Board of Nestlé Group Mexico from 1983 to 2010.
External appointments
- Board member of Bombardier Inc. and Merck & Co. Inc.
- Non-Executive Chairman Latin America, Bombardier Inc.
- President of the Mexico Chapter of the Latin American Chamber of Commerce, Switzerland
- Member of the Latin America Business Council (CEAL)
Educational background
- Economics degree, National University of Mexico, Mexico
- Industrial economics degree, National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico
Sir Paul Tucker
Member, non-executive and independent
Born: 1958
Nationality: British
Sir Paul Tucker was elected to the Board of Directors of Swiss Re Ltd in 2016. He is a member of the Finance and Risk Committee and the Investment Committee.
Professional experience
Sir Paul Tucker was the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England from 2009 to 2013. He held various senior roles at the Bank of England from 1980 onwards, including as a member of the Monetary Policy Committee, Financial Policy Committee, Prudential Regulatory Authority Board and Court of Directors. He also served as a member of the Steering Committee of the G20 Financial Stability Board and as a member of the Board of the Bank for International Settlements. In 2014, he was granted a knighthood for his services to central banking.
External appointments
- Chairman of the Systemic Risk Council
- Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government
- Board member of the Financial Services Volunteers Corps
- Member of the Advisory Committee of Autonomous Research
Educational background
- BA in Mathematics and Philosophy, Trinity College, Cambridge, United Kingdom
From left to right:
Raymond K.F. Ch’ien, C. Robert Henrikson, Susan L. Wagner, Renato Fassbind, Walter B. Kielholz, Philip K. Ryan, Mary Francis, Trevor Manuel, Rajna Gibson Brandon, Carlos E. Represas, Sir Paul Tucker
Changes in 2016
At the Annual General Meeting on 22 April 2016, Sir Paul Tucker was elected as new non-executive and independent member of the Board of Directors for a one-year term of office. At the same time, the shareholders re-elected Walter B. Kielholz (Chairman), Raymond K.F. Ch’ien, Renato Fassbind, Mary Francis, Rajna Gibson Brandon, C. Robert Henrikson, Trevor Manuel, Philip K. Ryan, Carlos E. Represas and Susan L. Wagner for a one-year term of office as members of the Board of Directors. Mathis Cabiallavetta, Hans Ulrich Maerki and Jean-Pierre Roth did not stand for re-election.