Swiss Re Appoints Bernhard Kaufmann as New Group Chief Risk Officer, Effective October 2025

Swiss Re Appoints Bernhard Kaufmann as New Group Chief Risk Officer, Effective October 2025

(IN BRIEF) Swiss Re has announced the appointment of Bernhard Kaufmann as its next Group Chief Risk Officer, effective 1 October 2025. Kaufmann, who currently holds the same role at Helvetia and has served as CRO at NN Group and Munich Re, brings 17 years of leadership experience in risk management across the re/insurance sector. He holds a PhD in theoretical physics from the Technical University of Munich. Swiss Re Chairman Jacques de Vaucleroy welcomed the appointment, emphasizing Kaufmann’s qualifications to guide the company through a complex risk landscape, while also thanking outgoing CRO Patrick Raaflaub for his valuable service.

(PRESS RELEASE) ZURICH, 23-Apr-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Swiss Re (SWX: SREN), one of the world’s leading reinsurer, has announced that Bernhard Kaufmann will take over as Group Chief Risk Officer on 1 October 2025, succeeding Patrick Raaflaub, who will step down from the role after years of distinguished service.

Kaufmann brings with him nearly two decades of leadership experience in enterprise risk management across the re/insurance sector. Currently serving as Group Chief Risk Officer at Helvetia, he has previously held the same position at NN Group and served in multiple senior executive roles at Munich Re Group, where he culminated his tenure as Group Chief Risk Officer.

A physicist by training, Kaufmann holds a PhD in theoretical physics from the Technical University of Munich—a background that reflects his analytical rigor and deep understanding of complex risk systems.

Welcoming the appointment, Jacques de Vaucleroy, Chairman of Swiss Re, said: “Bernhard Kaufmann is an accomplished risk leader with a strong track record in the global re/insurance industry. His insights and leadership will be crucial in steering Swiss Re through an evolving risk and regulatory landscape. On behalf of the Board, I would also like to extend our gratitude to Patrick Raaflaub for his significant contributions and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

The leadership transition underscores Swiss Re’s ongoing commitment to robust risk governance and excellence in managing the growing complexity of the global risk environment.

About Swiss Re
The Swiss Re Group is one of the world’s leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer, working to make the world more resilient. It anticipates and manages risk – from natural catastrophes to climate change, from ageing populations to cyber crime. The aim of the Swiss Re Group is to enable society to thrive and progress, creating new opportunities and solutions for its clients. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1863, the Swiss Re Group operates through a network of around 70 offices globally.

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SOURCE: Swiss Re