The SCOR board of directors has chosen Benoît Ribadeau-Dumas to succeed Denis Kessler, the current CEO and chairman, as the next CEO.
As part of the appointment, Ribadeau-Dumas will become deputy CEO of SCOR and will join the group’s executive committee.
It was proposed that he join the board at the 2021 general meeting, with a view to becoming CEO following the general meeting in 2022.
The board has unanimously expressed the wish that Kessler continues his work as chairman, and a resolution to this effect will be submitted to the 2021 general meeting.
Kessler will remain CEO of SCOR until Ribadeau-Dumas is appointed to the post in the spring of 2022.
Augustin de Romanet, a lead independent director of SCOR, commented: “Throughout the process of preparing for developments in SCOR’s governance, the nomination committee has striven to follow best corporate governance practices, and I would like to thank its members for their unfailing dedication.”
“Since 2002, Kessler has shaped SCOR, turning it around in an outstanding way and subsequently establishing it as the world’s fourth-largest reinsurer, with a rating of AA-. By choosing Ribadeau-Dumas, a very high-profile figure well known for his intellect and his leadership, the board of directors confirms its high level of ambition for SCOR,” he added.
Kessler noted: “I would like to sincerely thank de Romanet, as well as all the members of the nomination committee, for the extremely thorough work they have carried out over the past few months. I have every confidence in Ribadeau-Dumas to ensure SCOR’s success over the coming years, and in particular to guarantee its long-term development with the twofold target of profitability and solvency. As we embark on the transition process, he can count on my full support.”
Commenting on his new role, Ribadeau-Dumas said: “I am honoured by the confidence the Board of Directors has placed in me as their choice for the next group CEO. I am thrilled to be joining SCOR - whose teams are widely recognised for their high quality — and the reinsurance sector, which is a fascinating and demanding industry.”
In November, SCOR elected Adrien Couret, CEO of the Macif group, as director.
