As part of this collaboration, the company has also appointed Dirk De Nil as the global head of the commercial risk advisory and services unit.
The primary objective of this alliance is to offer comprehensive climate change advisory services that merge Zurich Resilience Solutions’ expertise in physical risk assessment with KPMG’s proficiency in transition risk assessment. This integrated approach aims to provide businesses with a holistic understanding of their climate-related risks and opportunities.
One of the key offerings arising from this partnership is a tailor-made climate scenario analysis. This analytical tool is meticulously designed to identify critical exposures and assess the financial implications that climate change may have on an organization’s entire value chain.
Initially, these cutting-edge climate advisory services will be made available in Switzerland, where Zurich Insurance Group has its headquarters. However, there are plans for a wider rollout of these services across other regions, including Europe, the Americas, and the Asia-Pacific, highlighting the global importance of addressing climate change’s far-reaching impacts.
This strategic move underscores Zurich Insurance Group’s commitment to proactively tackle climate change challenges while assisting its customers in navigating this evolving landscape. The collaboration with KPMG Switzerland and the appointment of Dirk De Nil to lead the commercial risk advisory and services unit further solidify Zurich’s position as a leader in climate resilience solutions.
“Our collaboration with KPMG is a great example of how we are delivering on our commitment to use our capabilities to help customers around the globe tackle the challenges of climate change,” commercial insurance chief executive Sierra Signorelli said in an emailed release.
“By working together with a like-minded organisation that shares our values and combining our strengths, we can have a greater impact and drive meaningful change towards a more sustainable future.”
The primary objective of this initiative is to assist businesses in the assessment and implementation of adaptation and mitigation measures. These efforts are geared towards bolstering their strategies for preventing losses related to natural hazards, establishing long-term climate change-focused investment strategies, and aligning with regulatory sustainability reporting frameworks. By doing so, organizations can better prepare themselves to navigate the complex landscape of climate-related risks and opportunities.
“In the current landscape, effective climate risk management has developed into a paramount concern for businesses,” KPMG Switzerland global client lead partner Marc Gössi said. “The imperative lies in fortifying resilience across the entire value chain.
“By bringing together Zurich’s strong physical risk capabilities and the specialised expertise of KPMG professionals, we empower our clients to craft judicious and sustainable choices, underpinned by a comprehensive climate risk assessment that takes into account the broader picture.”
Zurich appoints new Global Head of Zurich Resilience Solutions
In a separate announcement, Zurich Insurance Group introduced Dirk De Nil as the incoming global head of Zurich Resilience Solutions. Currently holding the position of Zurich Benelux and Nordics CEO and boasting three decades of experience in the insurance industry, Dirk De Nil is set to transition into his new role in October. This move underscores Zurich’s commitment to advancing its resilience solutions division under De Nil’s leadership.
Dirk De Nil joined Zurich in 2008, bringing with him a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise. He is taking over the reins from Hanno Mijer, who has had a distinguished career that includes serving as the chief of CoverMore and global head of corporate life & pensions. Hanno Mijer is set to retire next month, marking the end of an era.
As Zurich looks to the future, the search for Dirk De Nil’s successor is already in progress, ensuring a smooth transition in leadership and maintaining the company’s strong presence in the industry.
“Zurich Resilience Solutions is a key pillar to deliver on our strategic priorities,” Signorelli commented. “I am delighted to have Dirk take on this important role within the commercial insurance business. His industry and leadership experience as well as passion for customer focus position him very well to lead the business and drive its growth and success.
“In this rapidly evolving risk landscape, it is more important than ever that we continue to focus on supporting our customers to manage both traditional and emerging risks through prevention and mitigation services that go beyond traditional insurance.”
She added: “Hanno has led Zurich Resilience Solutions since its creation in 2021. During this time he has successful positioned the business, and it has become a true differentiator for us that combines the expertise of our risk engineering community with a renewed focus on advisory services and sales development.
“On behalf of the entire organisation, I would like to sincerely thank Hanno for his incredible energy, passion, and exceptional contributions to Zurich.”
