The member companies of the InsurTech Hub Munich (ITHM), a leading global innovation platform for the insurance industry, have elected Dr. Klaus Driever (Allianz) as the new Chairman of the Board. He succeeds Tom Van den Brulle (Munich Re), who has held this role since the ITHM was founded and did not stand for re-election. Dr. Joachim Ziegler from the Münchener Verein insurance group is a new member of the Board. Johannes Wagner (Versicherungskammer Group), Kathrin Schwidder (Generali) and Falk Löffler (Nürnberger Versicherung) were re-elected as members of the Board. There was also a change at the top of the ITHM Advisory Board. Dr. Robert Heene (Versicherungskammer Group) stepped down as Chairman of the Advisory Board, a position he had held since the ITHM was founded. Dr. Markus Juppe, also from the Versicherungskammer, took over. Dr. Stefan Lohmöller (Münchener Verein) was appointed as his deputy.
Dr. Klaus Driever has been a member of the ITHM Board of Directors since 2021 and has now taken over the role of Chairman from Tom Van den Brulle, Global Head of Innovation at Munich Re. At Allianz, Dr. Driever is responsible for strategic digital initiatives in the customer and market area. He is also active on the board of the Digital Insurance & Insurtech working group at the industry association BITKOM. He will contribute his extensive expertise in the financial services and insurance sector as well as in e-commerce and his experience in the development and implementation of digital and marketing strategies to the further expansion of the hub. "I would like to sincerely thank my predecessor Tom Van den Brulle. Thanks to his international network and his in-depth insurance expertise, he has made a significant contribution to the expansion and internationalization of the InsurTech Hub Munich . In a way, the ITHM has developed into a Silicon Valley for the insurance industry - a development that bears the signature of Tom Van den Brulle. Together with the dedicated ITHM team and the Board of Directors, I am committed to further strengthening this dynamic of the hub and would like to thank the member companies for their trust," says Dr. Klaus Driever.
Dr. Ziegler strengthens Executive Board team
Dr. Joachim Ziegler is a new member of the ITHM Executive Board. He has headed the General Insurance division of the Münchener Verein insurance group since 2021. With a doctorate in law, he is responsible for product development and innovation as well as operations and claims in the private and commercial lines. Prior to this, he held various management positions at Allianz. With his profound insurance and market expertise, he will further strengthen the ITHM Executive Board. Johannes Wagner as First Deputy Chairman, Kathrin Schwidder as Secretary and Falk Löffler as Treasurer were confirmed in their positions on the ITHM Board. Johannes Wagner has been a member of the ITHM Board since it was founded and was one of its main initiators. At the Versicherungskammer Group, he is Managing Director of Versicherungskammer Rechtsschutz GmbH, Head of Startup Cooperation and Managing Director of the Versicherungskammer Foundation. Kathrin Schwidder, first elected to the Board in 2021, is Managing Director International Affairs, Prevention, Assistance at Generali Health Solutions GmbH. Falk Löffler, Treasurer on the Board since its foundation, is Program Manager Projects/Special Tasks at Nürnberger Versicherung.
Change in the chairmanship of the advisory board
There were also significant changes to the ITHM Advisory Board, which supports the strategic direction of the hub and advises its Executive Board. Dr. Robert Heene, member of the Management Board of Versicherungskammer Bayern, has relinquished his position as Chairman of the Advisory Board, which he had held since the hub was founded. Dr. Markus Juppe has taken over. He is a member of the Management Board of Bavaria Direkt and Head of Group Development at Versicherungskammer Bayern. Dr. Juppe is a member of the Insurance Markets Commission at the German Insurance Association (GdV) and a member of the working group for the Munich Financial Centre Initiative (fpmi). Dr. Stefan Lohmöller was appointed as his deputy. He is a member of the Board of Management and Chief Operating Officer at Münchener Verein and has been a member of the Advisory Board since 2021. Markus Niederreiner, Managing Director of the Hiscox Group's German business, is a new member of the Advisory Board. Hiscox joined the ITHM in the second half of 2023.
Bavarian model of success with global appeal
Dr. Robert Heene and Tom Van den Brulle have contributed significantly to the growth, strategic development and national and international success of the ITHM. The hub recently reached another important milestone with renewed financial support from the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs. The Ministry will support the further development of the ITHM with up to one million euros over the next three years. "Under the leadership of CEO Tom Van den Brulle and Advisory Board Chairman Dr. Robert Heene, the InsurTech Hub Munich has developed into a Bavarian model of success with global appeal. Bavaria as a location for insurance and finance benefits from the more than 700 start-ups in the ITHM ecosystem, the cooperation between companies and the mutual exchange of knowledge between insurers of different sizes, technology companies and cross-industry partners. I wish the new Executive Board team led by Dr. Klaus Driever and the Advisory Board headed by Chairman Dr. Markus Juppe every success in continuing to support start-ups and making the insurance industry future-proof and innovative," says Hubert Aiwanger, Bavarian State Minister for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy.
Further information in the full press release.
Text: Dr. Reinhard Saller
