Zurich Insurance Group has appointed Timothy Powell, until recently Chief Underwriting Officer for International Financial Lines with AXA XL, as Global Head Financial Lines and Cyber, a newly created role that combines lines of business and simplifies the Group's offering.

Mr. Powell starts May 24, 2021 and will report to Ralph Brand, Global Head of Casualty, Financial Lines and Cyber. "I am delighted to welcome Timothy to the team", said Mr. Brand. "His very strong underwriting background and his long experience of leading international teams make him an ideal fit for this role. I have every confidence that he will help us leverage the combined expertise and resources of financial lines and cyber to enhance underwriting services to our customers."

In his new role, Mr. Powell will be working closely with Zurich's country offices and provide product expertise and counsel to optimize underwriting performance, foster a consistent underwriting approach across regions and ensure a balanced product mix that serves the increasingly complex risks of customers. His area of responsibility includes professional indemnity, directors and officers liability, mergers & acquisition, financial institutions, employers liability and cyber insurance.

Mr. Powell joins Zurich from AXA XL, where he most recently served as Chief Underwriting Officer for International Financial Lines. He will be based in Switzerland. Throughout his career, he has worked with brokers and teams of underwriters in Australia, Asia, the UK and continental Europe. Mr. Powell has more than 30 years of insurance experience and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of New England.