Swiss Re Appoints Nicole Pieterse as Chief People Officer Effective January 2026

Swiss Re announced that Nicole Pieterse, currently the company's Head Human Resources for Property & Casualty Reinsurance, will become Chief People Officer effective January 1, 2026. She will succeed Cathy Desquesses, who is stepping down for personal reasons. Pieterse joined Swiss Re in 2015 and brings deep HR leadership expertise from the financial services industry, where she held various senior HR roles before her tenure at the reinsurer.

Jacques de Vaucleroy, Swiss Re's Chairman of the Board of Directors, stated that the Board welcomes Pieterse to the Group Executive Committee as a distinguished and highly accomplished HR leader. He expressed regret yet understanding for Desquesses' decision to step down, noting gratitude for her four and a half years of outstanding collaboration during which she was instrumental in shaping Swiss Re's path to renewed success. Andreas Berger, Swiss Re's Group Chief Executive Officer, emphasized that Desquesses played a pivotal role in the company's transformation and wished her well as she focuses on her health. Berger added that with Pieterse, Swiss Re has appointed an excellent leader from within its own ranks and looks forward to advancing the strategic people agenda with her.

This appointment matters because it underscores the critical importance of human resources leadership in Swiss Re's ongoing organizational evolution. As a global provider of reinsurance, insurance, and risk transfer solutions, Swiss Re's ability to attract, develop, and retain talent directly impacts its capacity to manage risks ranging from natural catastrophes to cyber crime. The transition from an internal candidate like Pieterse suggests continuity in executing the people strategy that supports the company's mission to make the world more resilient. For further details on Swiss Re's corporate announcements, refer to their official press releases at https://www.swissre.com/media/press-releases.

The implications of this leadership change extend to Swiss Re's operational stability and strategic direction. With Pieterse's promotion, the company reinforces its commitment to internal talent development while navigating the departure of a key executive. This move may signal a focus on maintaining HR initiatives that have contributed to Swiss Re's recent successes, as highlighted by de Vaucleroy. Additionally, it reflects the broader trend in the insurance and reinsurance sector where people management is increasingly viewed as integral to managing complex global risks. The announcement also draws attention to the legal and forward-looking statements that accompany such corporate decisions, which can be reviewed in the Legal Notice section of Swiss Re's website at https://www.swissre.com/legal-notice.