Matthias Rüegg is familiar with the current challenges facing the business leaders of financial service providers from his own experience in the field. As a member of the executive board within a globally leading insurance group and with two decades of industry experience behind him, he has in-depth expertise of the insurance markets. At Witena, he offers executive search at supervisory board and top management levels, and for selected key functions with specific focus on the insurance, health insurance, fin- and insurtech sectors.

Before joining Witena, Matthias worked for the Swiss operations of Zurich Insurance Switzerland. Most recently appointed to the executive board as Head Retail Transformation & Innovation, he was previously responsible for customer management and the digital business.

Prior to that, he held various management positions within AXA Switzerland in the areas of strategy and product management, marketing & sales, and partner management. Most recently he was responsible for the Swiss private customer non-life business. Before that he gained consulting and auditing experience at PWC Switzerland.

In parallel with his executive management roles, he was also a member of various supervisory boards and chairman of the board of directors of a legal protection insurance company.

Matthias studied business administration and also holds an executive MBA from the University of St. Gallen. He has also completed numerous in-house and external training courses at renowned institutes (including IMD, HSG, and Henley Management School), which he complemented with various management training courses and an intensive board of directors course at the Swiss Board School. He has also been active as a lecturer and speaker at universities of applied sciences, focusing on business model development, innovation management, and leadership. He is an advocate of heterogeneous teams and is committed to diversity.

Besides work, Matthias’ sources of energy are his family, his friends, nature, and sport. He is a passionate freerider in winter and enjoys mountain biking and jogging in summer.