People Moves: Gallagher Re Names Flasinski as CEO of N. America, Succeeding Bradshaw; Hannover Re Taps Swiss Re’s Steinmann to Executive Board as Pickel Retires

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Gallagher Re and Hannover Re.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Gallagher Re Names Flasinski as CEO of N. America, Succeeding Bradshaw

Global reinsurance broker Gallagher Re announced the appointment of Brian Flasinski as chief executive officer of the North American region. He will succeed Jim Bradshaw, who will assume the role of chairman, Gallagher Re North America.

Both appointments will become effective after a transition period later this year.

Flasinski joined Gallagher Re in 2015 and has most recently served as executive vice president and North American sales leader. While focusing on strategic sales leadership across the region, he has successfully built and maintained strong client relationships; improved efficiencies and processes for continued client impact, most notably creating the sales advocate role; and consistently contributed to new business growth. Prior to Gallagher Re, he served as senior vice president with Guy Carpenter for nine years.

Bradshaw joined Gallagher Re as CEO of the North American region in 2021 with the acquisition of Willis Re. With more than 40 years of experience in the re/insurance industry, he spent more than 20 years with Guy Carpenter before joining Willis Re as executive vice president and managing director in 2005. After five years in that role, he was promoted to CEO of its North American business.

“Jim’s leadership helped us navigate through the Willis Re acquisition and achieve remarkable growth during his tenure. I am grateful for his continued support, guidance and counsel during the transition and beyond,” according to Gallagher Re CEO Tom Wakefield.

Commenting on Flasinski’s appointment, Bradshaw said: “Brian has been an outstanding leader and an integral part of the North American success story. As sales leader he has energized our new sales initiative while also continuing to deliver value to our clients. His passion for our business and culture, his dedication to provide best-in-class solutions and his commitment to collaborating across regions and the Gallagher network, have been exemplary and will prove invaluable as we continue to drive our business forward.”

***

Hannover Re Appoints Swiss Re’s Steinmann to Exec Board as Pickel Retires

The Supervisory Boards of Hannover Rück SE and E+S Rückversicherung AG have appointed Thorsten Steinmann (51) as a member of their executive board, effective Sept. 1, 2024.

He will succeed Michael Pickel (63), who will retire on Dec. 31, 2024 after 25 successful years at Hannover Re.

With 30 years of experience in the insurance and reinsurance industry, Steinmann joins from Swiss Re, where he was most recently responsible for the reinsurance business in Germany, the Nordics, Austria, Central and Eastern Europe, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Following a transition period, he will head E+S Rück, the Hannover Re subsidiary responsible for the group’s German business, as chief executive officer, effective Jan. 1. 2025, and will be responsible for yet to be determined markets in continental Europe at Hannover Re.

He joined Swiss Re in 2006 as part of the integration of GE Insurance Solutions. After holding various international leadership positions at Swiss Re, he was given responsibility for Swiss Re’s reinsurance business Northern, Central and Eastern Europe in 2023 and was also appointed head of Swiss Re’s German branch in the same year.

Pickel has been with Hannover Re and E+S Rück since 2000 when he joined the Executive Boards of both companies from Gerling Globale Rückversicherungs-AG in Cologne, Germany. Since then, he had held numerous responsibilities at Hannover Re’s and E+S Rück’s Executive Boards. Currently, he is in charge of Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy as well as Latin America, the Iberian Peninsula and the Middle East as well as of Group Legal Services. He also has global responsibility for Run-Off Solutions and Agricultural Risks at Hannover Re. Pickel was appointed chief executive officer of E+S Rück in 2019.

“In Thorsten Steinmann, we have been able to appoint an accomplished executive with a highly successful track record in both the insurance and reinsurance industry. I wish him every success in his new role,” said Torsten Leue, chairman of the Supervisory Board of Hannover Re and E+S Rück.

“Thorsten Steinmann is a strong successor to Michael Pickel, who has contributed to the success of both Hannover Re and E+S Rück with great leadership and outstanding dedication over more than two decades. On behalf of both Supervisory Boards, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Michael Pickel,” Leue added.

“I am delighted to welcome Thorsten Steinmann to the Hannover Re Group. He is a highly experienced professional with extensive reinsurance expertise in Europe and beyond and is recognised for his skills in risk and capital management as well as property and casualty underwriting,” said Jean-Jacques Henchoz, chief executive officer of Hannover Re. “At the same time, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Michael Pickel for his passion and dedication during his many years of work at Hannover Re as well as E+S Rück. With his extensive expertise, he has played a central role in positioning Hannover Re and E+S Rück as a true partner to our clients.”

Topics A.J. Gallagher