Zurich Insurance Company appoints Rainer Sommer as Chief Operating Officer for Zurich Middle East

As a key member of the regional executive team, Rainer will lead the development and management of the operations for Global Corporate and General Insurance in the Middle East.

Rainer joins the Middle East Region from iCON, Zurich's internal consulting unit located in Zurich. He will be based in the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC) and will report to Saad Mered, Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of Zurich Middle East, the business unit responsible for driving ZIC's activities in the region.

Prior to joining Zurich in 2007, Rainer spent over five years with Boston Consulting Group where he was a Principal, advising insurance companies on growth strategies, cost effectiveness and business building. Before consulting, Rainer was an entrepreneur for over four years, managing his own company developing software and hardware solutions for companies in the financial services and industry sectors.

Rainer has lived in Germany, Switzerland and the United States and is fluent in English and German. He holds a Doctorate in Applied Mathematics from University of Erlangen where he finished with 'magna cum laude'.

Rainer Sommer, COO Middle East General Insurance, said:

"I am looking forward to working with Zurich in this exciting emerging market and driving the expansion of our general insurance operations in the region."