Zurich, September 18, 2012 – Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) announces the appointment of Isabelle Welton (50, Swiss citizen) to the position of Chief of Staff, effective immediately. She succeeds Anne Haugh who had left the company August 20, 2013. In her new position, Mrs. Welton will be responsible for overseeing the operational delivery of Group Communications, Group Human Resources, Group Marketing and Group Strategy in line with the Group’s strategic objectives. She will report to Chief Executive Officer Martin Senn and will continue to be based in Zurich.

In her most recent function, Isabelle Welton served as Chief Marketing Officer and oversaw the successful launch of Zurich’s new global marketing campaign. Mrs. Welton joined Zurich in January 2013 from IBM, where she held a European leadership position. From 2010 to 2012 she was Country General Manager for IBM Switzerland. Since joining IBM in 2003 Mrs. Welton held several management positions in the Marketing & Communications function. From 2001 she was with EFG Private Bank.

Mrs. Welton already worked with Zurich from 1996 until 2001 leading External Communications. In this position, she was responsible for branding, corporate identity, advertising, sponsoring and community marketing globally. Prior to that Mrs. Welton worked with Interbrand, Zintzmeyer & Lux, where she was responsible for the agency’s financial services clients. Mrs. Welton started her career at Citibank in New York and Tokyo.

Isabelle Welton holds a law degree from Zurich University. She is a member of the boards of Georg Fischer AG and AG für die Neue Zürcher Zeitung, a member of the Regional Economic Advisory Council of the Swiss National Bank, and a member of the board of trustees of the Lucerne Festival.