Zurich, September 6, 2001 – Zurich Re will operate under the brand Converium upon completion of its separation from Zurich Financial Services. Converium expects that its new corporate identity will give added impetus to its global development.

Zurich Financial Services announced back in March its intention to separate the third party assumed reinsurance business into a new, independent group of companies. Converium consists of the three reinsurance entities Converium Ltd., Zurich, Zurich Reinsurance (North America), Inc. – to be renamed later in the year to Converium Reinsurance (North America), Inc., and Zürich Rückversicherung (Köln) AG – to be renamed later in the year to Converium Rückversicherung (Deutschland) AG.

All offices of today's Zurich Re will operate globally under the new Converium identity, thus exploiting global brand synergies and allowing an even more effective and independent marketing approach. The new brand will be used as per October 1, 2001.

Converium is rated "A+" (strong) by Standard & Poor's. The group has underwriting centres in Zurich, Cologne, and New York as well as offices in the USA, in Asia and Latin America. It counts some 800 employees. «With our proven strengths we will confirm our position as one of the top ten players in our industry. Interaction, agility and credibility: This is what Converium stands for», states Dirk Lohmann, CEO Zurich Re.