05/11/2024
Dr Renate Strasser is appointed as a new member of the Executive Board of HDI Global SE effective 1 April 2025. She succeeds Ralph Beutter, the Board member responsible for Specialty Lines, who is retiring on 31 May 2025 but will continue to support the company in an advisory capacity and in committee roles
Renate Strasser (50) has a long-standing, proven track record of expertise in business with Corporate and Specialty insurance solutions. She began her career in 2004 in aviation business with Munich Re and took over as worldwide Head of Aviation Facultative in 2007, before moving to Zurich in 2016 to take on roles as CEO and Managing Director for a Swiss subsidiary of Munich Re. The native Austrian joined the Board of Management of Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty in 2020 in the role of Chief Underwriting Officer Specialty, assuming overall responsibility in 2023 as Chief Technical Officer with Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty & Allianz Commercial.
In the period from April to the end of May 2025 Ralph Beutter will familiarise his successor with her tasks and work with her to shape the transition. The retirement of Ralph Beutter (59) marks the departure of a seasoned leader in Specialty Lines whose experience is matched by his achievements. After serving in various positions at Hannover Re, he successfully expanded the profitable specialty business segment within the Talanx Group as CEO, boosting the premium volume from EUR 800 million to the current level of around EUR 3 billion. In 2022 he was appointed to the Executive Board of HDI Global SE as Chief Underwriting Officer for Specialty Lines and to this day works to ensure the prudent combination of Specialty and Corporate business.
"I would like to thank Ralph Beutter for his outstanding work. He was one of the pivotal success factors in the expansion of Specialty Lines within the Talanx Group. In Dr Renate Strasser, we have secured the services of a leader with extensive international experience. I wish her every success in her tasks," says Torsten Leue, Chief Executive Officer of Talanx AG and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of HDI Global SE.
Dr Edgar Puls, CEO of HDI Global SE and the member of Talanx AG's Board of Management responsible for Corporate & Specialty business, says: "I would like to thank Ralph most sincerely for his untiring commitment to Specialty Lines and I am delighted that he will continue to support us with his expertise. He is a notable example of a successful career within the Group: Ralph started out as an apprentice in 1987 with HDI VVaG in Stuttgart, went on to complete a trainee programme in Hannover and moved up to Board level through various international positions. I am looking forward to working with Dr Renate Strasser, whose broad specialist expertise will further strengthen our team on the Executive Board."
With effect from 1 June 2025 the members of the HDI Global Executive Board will be as follows:
Dr Edgar Puls (CEO)
Dr Mukadder Erdönmez (Third-party Liability, Cyber Insurance and Motor)
Dr Christian Hermelingmeier (CFO)
Dr Dirk Höring (Property Insurance, Engineering Insurance, Marine Insurance, HDI Risk Consulting)
David Hullin (Regions Europe, Americas, Asean, South Africa and Middle East)
Dr Barbara Klimaszewski-Blettner (Claims Management / Region Germany)
Dr Thomas Kuhnt (COO, IT and Accident & Health)
Dr Renate Strasser (Specialty Lines)
As always, this personnel change is subject to approval by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).