Lawyer and insurance manager Miriam Hook will take over as Managing Director of InsurTech Hub Munich (ITHM) e.V., a leading global innovation platform for the insurance industry, on May 1, 2024. Miriam Hook succeeds Christian Gnam as Managing Director, who has taken over the management of the Innovation and Start-up Center Biotechnology (IZB) in Martinsried near Munich after almost five years as Managing Director of ITHM. At the same time as Miriam Hook's appointment, a management team is being established at ITHM. Esther Prax and Jens Schindler, who have both been working for the ITHM for several years, will be assigned additional tasks. In addition to her duties as Program Director, Esther Prax takes on the role of Deputy Managing Director. Together with Miriam Hook, Head of Finance Jens Schindler will manage ITHM Innovation GmbH, which bundles ITHM's range of services.
Dr. Klaus Driever, Chairman of the ITHM Management Board: "We are delighted to have gained Miriam Hook as Managing Director of the ITHM, who will continue to write the hub's dynamic success story with her knowledge in the areas of insurance, innovation and regulation. The ITHM's position as an international beacon for the insurtech world will be further strengthened by the appointment of Miriam Hook."
Miriam Hook began her insurance career after successfully studying law at the LMU Munich and working as a lawyer in New York and elsewhere. In 2004, she joined Munich Re as an underwriter and moved to the Client Management and Treaty Underwriting UK division. After working as a class underwriter at Liberty Syndicates (Lloyd's of London), she moved to Swiss Re in 2015. Most recently, she was Vice President for Global Clients and responsible for growth and innovation projects in the areas of mobility, sustainability and cyber solutions in the DACH market.
Esther Prax has been developing the ITHM's innovation programs and formats since 2021 and is responsible for the hub's strategic direction. She previously worked as a consultant at Deloitte Digital, among others. Jens Schindler took on his role at ITHM in 2020, having previously worked at Siemens Financial Services and Crédit Agricole.
ITHM has been part of the German de:hub initiative since it was founded in 2017. Hubert Aiwanger, Bavarian State Minister for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, recently highlighted the importance and development of the ITHM and emphasized that the ITHM 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." The Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs supports the ITHM financially.
Further information in the full press release (DE) / press release (EN)
Text: Dr. Reinhard Saller
