Zurich Insurance Company (Singapore) Ltd has named Michael Szwajda (pictured) as its new broker relationship and business development lead.
Szwajda, who will operate from Singapore, is tasked with strengthening broker and client engagement and supporting the growth of Zurich’s commercial insurance segment.
His responsibilities also include expanding Zurich Resilience Solutions (ZRS) initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region.
Szwajda’s professional background includes early experience at Zurich in Switzerland as part of the company’s graduate program, followed by a period in strategy consulting with Accenture.
Most recently, he worked at Swiss Re, where he held leadership positions in corporate and market development for Europe and Asia-Pacific, including serving as industry practice lead for professional & financial services.
Liam Burrell, CEO Singapore and head of commercial insurance, Asia, commented that Szwajda’s international expertise and experience in building partnerships will help Zurich strengthen its broker and customer relationships in the region.
“I am delighted to welcome Michael (back) to Zurich. His strategic focus and action-oriented approach make him ideally suited for this role. With his broad international experience and proven track record in building strong partnerships, Michael will further strengthen our relationships and bring the best of Zurich to our broker partners and customers,” he said.
In a separate announcement from May 2025, Zurich Singapore introduced two new appointments within its commercial insurance underwriting division.
Christy Yeo has taken on the role of head of property, while Wendy Ong has assumed the position of head of financial lines.
Both leaders are responsible for overseeing market development, team management, and underwriting results in their respective business lines.
These appointments are part of Zurich Singapore’s ongoing efforts to enhance its underwriting capabilities and address changing commercial insurance requirements.
Yeo, who has spent over two decades in the insurance sector and 12 years with Zurich, previously managed the company’s upstream energy portfolio in Singapore. She continues to oversee upstream energy in addition to her new property responsibilities.
Ong, who joined Zurich in 2018, has managed directors and officers as well as financial institutions products. She has also contributed to the development of the company’s reinsurance strategy for financial lines and now leads the broader financial lines segment in Singapore.
Both Yeo and Ong report to Alexandra Cowley, chief underwriting officer for Zurich Singapore.
Zurich Insurance Group reported record financial results for the year 2024.
The company’s business operating profit reached US$7.8 billion, marking a 5% rise from the previous year.
Net income attributable to shareholders increased by 34% to US$5.8 billion.
The group’s core return on equity rose to 24.6%, and adjusted earnings per share climbed 10% to US$42.2.
The Swiss Solvency Test (SST) ratio improved to 252%.
Looking forward, Zurich has set a target for core earnings per share growth of more than 9% annually from 2025 to 2027.
The company also aims for a core return on equity above 23% by 2027 and cumulative cash remittances exceeding US$19 billion during the same period.
