NewRe, a reinsurance subsidiary of Munich Re, has announced the appointment of Iris Urban as its Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) for non-life business, effective March 1, 2025.
In her new role, Urban will be responsible for overseeing underwriting strategy, portfolio management, and optimization efforts across NewRe’s property and casualty operations.
Urban brings over two decades of experience from Munich Re, where she held various leadership positions in underwriting and portfolio management. Most recently, she served as Senior Executive Underwriting P&C and Head of Property and Casualty Treaty for the German market.
Prior to this, her roles at Munich Re included Head of Property Treaty Underwriting, Representative Director and Regional Manager for Japan, and Senior Underwriter for Property Treaty Asia-Pacific. Urban began her career at Munich Re in 2000 as a group trainee, working with global clients and the North American market. She holds a degree in business administration and management from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.
Established in Zurich in 1926, NewRe became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Munich Re in 1988. Dr. Thomas Braune was appointed as NewRe’s Chief Executive Officer in 2020. Like Urban, Braune also previously held a position at Munich Re, where he led the company’s life and health reinsurance business in Europe, Latin America, and parts of the Middle East, managing a premium volume of approximately €3 billion.
With Urban now leading its underwriting division, NewRe stated that it will continue to develop innovative reinsurance solutions, particularly in weather-related coverage. The company is also focused on solutions designed to mitigate revenue fluctuations in power generation and enhance the bankability of renewable energy projects.
In related news, Munich Re recently strengthened its underwriting team with the appointment of Hanh Nguyen as Head of Treaty P&C Underwriting for Southeast Asia and India.
