Content

Questionnaire

Jürgen Gräber
Jürgen Gräber
Member of the Executive Board
Non-life, Advanced Solutions

Tel.: +49 / 511 / 56 04 - 11 07
Fax: +49 / 511 / 56 04 - 31 07
e-mail

Age and Family

Born: 18 September 1956
Marital status: Married, two children Sarah and Felix
Degrees: Bachelor of Economics

Professional experience in reinsurance

Business career and professional development – major stages:

  • Employed with Hannover Re since October 1981. I commenced my career in the US division as an underwriter, then became responsible for most areas of Asia, Australia, and Africa; in between I also gained experience in Lloyd's business and Caribbean exposure. In those days I set up a number of offices in Asia and Australia and guided the development of Hannover Re's infrastructure in Asia and promoted the company's branding by a variety of seminars conducted by Hannover Re's teams.
  • Since 1997, member of Hannover Re's Executive Board with changing responsibilities; now in charge of two business groups, the non-life reinsurance as a coordinator, and COO, leading directly the US business and the business group Advanced Solutions.
  • I am holding positions as a non-executive director in Hannover Re's property and casualty and financial reinsurance companies in Ireland, South Africa, and the US.

Hobbies and Sports

Hobbies:
To balance off four to five months of annual travelling a rewarding day in my large garden or time on my vintage motorbike does suffice.

Sports:
Badminton still leads

Questions and answers

  1. Business travel as a reinsurer: What do you enjoy the most and what do you loathe?
    As a reinsurer who travels the world and sleeps some 40 to 50 nights a year in a plane, arrival is more important than departure. It does not matter where to arrive as long as I meet friends and good business associates. I have found those on all continents, and it is the variety which I enjoy.
  2. Which individual do you admire most amongst all insurers or reinsurers?
    No individual as such but unique skills and capabilities still fascinate me. Personal commitment impresses me the most.
  3. How do you normally spend the weekends at home?
    Half of the weekend I fly or work. The other half I relax, read, play badminton and if there is time I see friends and talk.
  4. What is your personal taste in music and/or literature?
    From my student time hard-rock music still outperforms classic music though it is changing steadily. Books I found rewarding to read: „The Perfume", „Snow falling on Cedars" and the autobiography of Nelson Mandela.
  5. Which are your favourite cities/holiday destinations?
    I like Hannover and only rarely would I travel on vacation.
  6. If you were banned to a remote island, which three items would you take with you?
    A bottle of good water, a good book and a CD-Player with hard-rock music.
  7. What is the most important technical invention of the last millennium?
    Solar power
  8. What is your preferred drink and/or meal?
    A glass of tasty fresh water, a barbecued tuna steak after a hot Chinese noodle soup.