Industry pays tribute to SCOR chair Denis Kessler

Written by Adam Cadle

12/06/2023

Economist and notable figure in the insurance and reinsurance industry, Denis Kessler, has passed away at the age of 71.

Kessler served as chairman of the Insurance Europe Reinsurance Advisory Board (RAB) as of September 2021, and also held the positions of chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) at SCOR in France.

In his time at SCOR, where he joined in 2002, Kessler turned the group into a leading global insurer, going onto become non-executive chairman of the company in June 2021.
As well as serving as a member of the Institut de France, Kessler is described by SCOR as a “man of culture”, who was committed to the spread of knowledge, with his vision and depth of his analyses leaving a “lasting impact” on the organisations and bodies he has led and contributed to.

The SCOR directors commented: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Denis Kessler, with whom we have been fortunate enough to work for many years. He was an exceptional individual, with visionary leadership and incredible intelligence. We have lost a friend. We salute the memory of a great man and an extraordinary leader, who was passionate about the insurance and reinsurance industries, their techniques, their values and their philosophy. Kessler has made a tremendous contribution to SCOR’s development over the past 21 years, and more widely to public debate on major contemporary economic and social policy issues.
“He has left a profound imprint on the group, with the double hallmark of high standards and excellence, which the teams he built will perpetuate. To his family and friends, our company expresses its deepest sympathy, gratitude and support."

CEO of SCOR, Thierry Léger, commented: “Over the past two decades, Kessler has been the architect behind SCOR’s success and reputation throughout the world. His passion for reinsurance was unparalleled, and his ambition to make SCOR an industry leader never left him. It has been the driving force behind all his actions at the head of the group over the past 21 years. I am privileged to have had the opportunity to work alongside Kessler. He leaves us an extraordinary legacy. It is now up to us to carry on his work. The strong foundations on which he rebuilt the group enable us to look to the future with total confidence.”

A statement from RAB said: “Kessler was a passionate leader and advocate for the global insurance and reinsurance industry. He was one of the key founders and a driving force in the Reinsurance Advisory Board, of which he became the chair in September 2021.
“Insurance Europe and its employees would like to offer their condolences to Denis’ family, friends and colleagues at SCOR.”

In line with the internal regulations of the board of directors at SCOR, vice-chairman Augustin de Romanet will chair the board for an interim period, until a new chairman is appointed as part of the ongoing process.

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