Swiss Re has appointed Benjamin (Ben) Savill as Chief Executive Officer for Australia and New Zealand, effective 1 October 2026, subject to regulatory approvals, according to multiple media reports.
Based in Sydney, he succeeds Trent Thomson, who earlier this year was appointed Global Head of Specialty Reinsurance.
Savill joins Swiss Re from Guy Carpenter, where he has served as CEO for the Pacific since April 2024. His appointment brings nearly three decades of experience across underwriting, reinsurance and executive leadership.
Experienced underwriting executive
Before joining Guy Carpenter, Savill was Chief Underwriting Officer for Bermuda at Convex Insurance for almost four years.
Earlier, he served as Group Chief Underwriting Officer and Chief Executive Officer at Fidelis Insurance. He began his career with Amlin plc in 1997 and spent more than 18 years with the insurer, eventually leading its North American treaty reinsurance business in Bermuda.
His move marks a shift from reinsurance breaking back to the underwriting side of the industry.
Leadership change at Swiss Re
Savill replaces Trent Thomson, who has moved to London as Global Head of Specialty Reinsurance.
In the role, Thomson oversees Swiss Re's global specialty portfolio, including agriculture, aviation, cyber, engineering and nuclear, and marine and energy.
Urs Baertschi, CEO, Property & Casualty (P&C) Reinsurance, Swiss Re said, “Combining executive leadership with deep technical expertise, Ben’s knowledge and broad industry perspective will see us continue to support our clients and partners in this important market.”
Appointment amid softer market conditions
Savill takes charge as the Australia and New Zealand reinsurance market enters a softer pricing cycle. According to Howden Re, loss-free reinsurance programmes in the region recorded risk-adjusted rate reductions of 10% to 15% during the July 2026 renewals. The shift was driven by ample global capacity and sustained reinsurer profitability.
Swiss Re operates across life and health, and property and casualty reinsurance in Australia and New Zealand.