Catharina Richter to lead Allianz Cyber Center of Competence

Effective June 1, 2020, Dr Catharina Richter will be appointed Global Head of Cyber Center of Competence for Allianz Group. The Cyber Center of Competence (CoC) coordinates and steers cyber risk underwriting and governance across Allianz Group and is embedded into Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), the corporate insurance specialist of Allianz Group and long-standing provider of IT and cyber insurance solutions to businesses. Catharina Richter will report directly to AGCS Chief Underwriting Officer Corporate and Board Member Thomas Sepp

Dr Richter joins from Allianz SE, where she is currently Head of Digital Regulation, responsible for developing regulatory strategy for digitalization on behalf of Allianz Group and shaping the regulatory and supervisory debate in the field of cyber. A lawyer by training, she joined Mondial Assistance (now Allianz Partners) in 2000 as General Counsel, and since that time has been Head of Distribution & Solutions Legal Europe for Allianz Global Investors and Head of Regulatory Management for Allianz SE. In her new role as Global Head of the Cyber Center of Competence, Dr Richter  succeeds Emy Donovan who had left AGCS last year.

The Allianz Cyber CoC was established in 2018 and focuses on Group-wide coordination and alignment of cyber exposures and insurance in the commercial insurance segment. Recent focus areas include the development of a new underwriting approach to clarify cyber exposures (‘silent cyber’) across commercial P&C policies, product governance and harmonization through a cyber master wording and the establishment of a global service provider network for Allianz cyber policyholders. 

AGCS Chief Underwriting Officer Corporate Thomas Sepp commented: ‘’Cyber is the top global business risk in the Allianz Risk Barometer 2020 and a significant opportunity for insurance, but at the same time it also requires central governance, steering and control to realize sustainable growth. I am delighted that someone of Catharina’s background and ability will now take the Cyber Center of Competence to the next stage.’’

allianz cyber center of competence global head catharina richter
Catharina Richter

The existing AGCS standalone cyber insurance offering remains within the Financial Lines business line with overall responsibility of Shanil Williams, Global Head of Financial Lines, supported by Marek Stanislawski as Cyber Underwriting Manager. The AGCS global Cyber team will work in full alignment and close cooperation with the Cyber CoC to further evolve Allianz Group’s cyber insurance offering which combines financial indemnification with prevention advisory and post-incident crisis management services.

AGCS launched a first standalone cyber insurance product in 2013 and has seen steady growth since then in all its key markets globally. In 2019, for the first time, AGCS exceeded the 100 million euros gross premium written with cyber insurance solutions. 

Allianz Commercial is the center of expertise and global line of Allianz Group for insuring mid-sized businesses, large enterprises and specialist risks. Among our customers are the world’s largest consumer brands, financial institutions and industry players, the global aviation and shipping industry as well as family-owned and medium enterprises which are the backbone of the economy. We also cover unique risks such as offshore wind parks, infrastructure projects or Hollywood film productions. Powered by the employees, financial strength, and network of the world’s #1 insurance brand, we work together to help our customers prepare for what’s ahead: They trust on us for providing a wide range of traditional and alternative risk transfer solutions, outstanding risk consulting and Multinational services as well as seamless claims handling. Allianz Commercial brings together the large corporate insurance business of Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) and the commercial insurance business of national Allianz Property & Casualty entities serving mid-sized companies. We are present in over 200 countries and territories either though our own teams or the Allianz Group network and partners. In 2022, the integrated business of Allianz Commercial generated more than €19 billion gross premium globally.

These assessments are, as always, subject to the disclaimer provided below.

The Allianz Group is one of the world's leading insurers and asset managers with around 125 million* private and corporate customers in nearly 70 countries. Allianz customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, ranging from property, life and health insurance to assistance services to credit insurance and global business insurance. Allianz is one of the world’s largest investors, managing around 764 billion euros** on behalf of its insurance customers. Furthermore, our asset managers PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors manage about 1.8 trillion euros** of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of ecological and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, we are among the leaders in the insurance industry in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In 2023, over 157,000 employees achieved total business volume of 161.7 billion euros and an operating profit of 14.7 billion euros for the group.
* Including non-consolidated entities with Allianz customers.
** As of September 30, 2024.

Press contacts

Daniel Aschoff
Allianz SE
Camila Corsini
Allianz Commercial (Sao Paolo)
Florence Claret
Allianz Commercial (Paris)
Ailsa Sayers
Allianz Commercial (London)
Emil Janssens
Allianz Commercial (New York)
As with all content published on this site, these statements are subject to our cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements:

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