Zurich appoints John Diaz as president of US middle market, programmes, direct markets and captives, effective immediately. Diaz succeeds Alex Wells, who was recently appointed chief executive officer of Zurich US, subject to customary approvals. He also maintains his role as president of customer and distribution management until a successor is named. The appointment returns Diaz to a business he helped shape over six years. He served as head of underwriting for US middle market, responsible for portfolio strategy and execution, and before that as chief operating officer for the business. The insurer says US middle market grew by double digits under Wells and expanded to include programmes, direct markets and captives, extending its underwriting footprint across the US and honing its industry specialisation. Diaz joined Zurich in 2008 and has held executive roles across the organisation, including in national accounts, where he was senior vice president for large casualty and head of business performance management and execution. He held leadership positions in operations, finance and distribution at AIG before joining. He is based in New York City. Wells says: "John is a natural choice to lead U.S. Middle Market. He worked alongside me on the Middle Market leadership team during years of rapid growth, helping build the foundation for the successful business we have today. John's energetic leadership, his deep relationships with distributors and customers, his underwriting discipline and team-first mindset equip him to lead this business into its next chapter." Diaz says: "I couldn't be more excited to return to lead this dynamic business. I know firsthand the talent, commitment and culture that make this team successful, and I'm honoured to work alongside our fantastic underwriters, leaders and distribution partners as we continue building on the tremendous momentum."
