Württembergische has a new Chairman

Thomas Bischof (43) will be the new Chairman of the Executive Board of Württembergische Versicherung AG and Württembergische Lebensversicherung AG starting 1 July 2018. In the course of this generational change, he is replacing Norbert Heinen (63), who will be concentrating on the life insurance division on the Board at his own request. The changeover at the two subsidiaries of Wüstenrot & Württembergische AG (W&W) was announced in 2017 and has now been completed. In the meantime, business has been also been developing well in 2018.

Bischof joined the W&W Group in July 2017. Before that, he was Head of Group Development at Munich RE AG. Born in Obernzell in 1974, the business management graduate also worked for the AXA Group, the ERGO Insurance Group and the Boston Consulting Group. Norbert Heinen has been Chairman of the Executive Board of both insurance companies since 2010. As a result of his proven expertise in the sector, he will still be responsible for life insurance on the Board of Württembergische Versicherungen beyond 2018, and continue to play an important role on the Board.

Jürgen A. Junker, Chairman of the Executive Board of W&W AG and Head of the Supervisory Board of both insurance companies, “My thanks go to Norbert Heinen for his extremely successful work. In a period of major challenges resulting from historically low interest rates and increasing regulation, he has prepared the insurance companies of the W&W Group well for the future. Thomas Bischof will now push ahead with this realignment and I wish him all the best for the task ahead.”

The Württembergische is traditionally firmly anchored among private customers by means of its excellent customer service and powerful sales force. It is also increasingly expanding its role as a “partner to SMEs”.

As last year, property/casualty insurance made the biggest contribution to the good annual results of the W&W Group. Its contribution rose by 6.2 percent to EUR 98.5 million in the first quarter (previous year: EUR 90.2 million). Despite greater natural hazards, the gross combined ratio of 87.4 percent remained almost constant. In life and health insurance, the written gross premiums grew to EUR 550.9 million, after EUR 545.9 million in the previous year. A good start has also been made to the second quarter. The positive trend has become established in new business.