News Room

12th January 2010

Assurant Solutions Appoints European Risk Officer

Assurant Solutions has today announced the appointment of Blanche Neal as Chief Risk Officer for Europe.

Blanche will lead the European risk function, advising and supporting strategies for its business units throughout Europe. This will include overseeing and directing the development of commercially sound risk management processes and procedures, and ensuring that all areas of Assurant Solutions European organisations meet the operational, legal and regulatory requirements in their respective countries.

Ian Moffatt, President & CEO for Europe, comments: “Blanche brings a breadth of experience in a wide commercial environment with a significant focus on risk management within the life, general and health insurance markets. We are continuing to invest in our businesses throughout the UK, Ireland, Spain, Italy and Germany and so it is essential that we have a strong operational risk framework in place not only to help us manage our own growth across the region but also support our clients. I am delighted to welcome Blanche to our team.”

A fully qualified Chartered Accountant with many years’ experience in financial services, Blanche joins the business from AXA where she has spent the past 10 years most recently leading the qualitative work stream on Solvency II gap analysis. Prior to that, Blanche was senior operational risk manager, responsible for the development and implementation of the operational risk framework into the AXA Finance Shared Service. Blanche began her career at KPMG working out of London and Durban, South Africa.

Assurant Solutions specialises in creating tailored insurance and servicing programmes for its clients that protect their customers’ most valuable assets – their income, health, home and possessions.

MEDIA CONTACT

For further information, please contact Lesley Russell at Spotlight Communications on 07815 778038 or email: lesley@spotlightcomms.co.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

Assurant Solutions

Assurant Solutions businesses develop, underwrite, market and administer specialty insurance, extended service contracts and other risk management solutions through collaborative relationships with leading financial institutions, retailers, automobile dealers, funeral homes, utilities and other entities. With operations in 25 locations, including executive offices in Atlanta, Ga., Assurant Solutions serves clients and their customers in 12 countries throughout North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and Asia.
Visit: www.assurantsolutions.com

Assurant Solutions is part of Assurant Inc., a premier provider of specialised insurance products and related services in North America and selected other international markets. The four key businesses -- Assurant Solutions; Assurant Specialty Property; Assurant Health; and Assurant Employee Benefits -- have partnered with clients who are leaders in their industries and have built leadership positions in a number of specialty insurance market segments in the U.S. and selected international markets. The Assurant business units provide debt protection administration; credit-related insurance; warranties and service contracts; pre-funded funeral insurance; creditor-placed homeowners insurance; manufactured housing homeowners insurance; individual health and small employer group health insurance; group dental insurance; group disability insurance; and group life insurance.

Assurant, a Fortune 500 company and a member of the S&P 500, is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AIZ. Assurant has more than $25 billion in assets and $8 billion in annual revenue. Assurant has approximately 15,000 employees worldwide and is headquartered in New York's financial district.
Visit: www.assurant.com