Steps Down: De la Viña Relinquishes Lead Role for Focus on Young Family

In a surprising turn of events, Katja de la Viña (45), the CEO of Allianz Life Insurance AG, is set to bid farewell to her position by the end of the year. De la Viña is choosing to dedicate more time to her two children, working part-time for Allianz during this phase. Ready to take the reins is Ruedi Kubat, the current chairman of the executive board at Allianz Suisse Insurance Company AG.

This decision marks a trailblazing move not just in Germany but throughout Europe, as top-tier executives prioritizing family life is a rarity. In a similar vein, a board member of an e-commerce company, Westwing, stepped down from her role following the birth of her child because she was unable to legally take maternity or parental leave. In de la Viña's case, her kids are already six and ten years old.

No Crisis in Sight

Allianz has made it clear that de la Viña's departure isn't due to an emergency like illness. Instead, she's making a personal decision to be present for her children. Previously, family commitments led to de la Viña delaying her appointment as CEO of Allianz Life by three months in 2022. The reason being, she and her family members were diagnosed with COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated.

Employer's Backing

Klaus-Peter Rohler, a member of Allianz's board, has shown nothing but support for de la Viña's decision. He praised her accomplishments and tireless efforts as CEO of Allianz Life while expressing regret at her departure. Rohler stressed that her decision would not lead to any negative consequences for future employment within the company.

De la Viña will initially advise Rohler as part of a smooth leadership transition before taking on a strategic management role at Group Strategy, Marketing, and Distribution to return to full-time work and a new position in the future.

Newcomer from Switzerland

De la Viña's successor, Ruedi Kubat, is an economist with four older children. Kubat took charge of the Swiss national company at the start of 2022, having served as COO in its executive board for four years. Prior to this, Kubat was part of Allianz in Switzerland from 2007, joining the executive board as COO in 2009 and remaining until 2015.

Kubat began his career as a McKinsey consultant in 1997 and worked for Winterthur Leben from 2002 to 2007, eventually becoming a member of the management team in Switzerland.

Who's Next in Line?

Laura Gersch (41), currently the CFO of Allianz Versicherungs-AG, will take over Kubat's role starting January 1st. Klaus Berge (48), CFO of Allianz Private Krankenversicherungs-AG, will step in as her temporary replacement, as announced by Allianz.

By Michael Fläming, Munich

[1] Allianz's Strong Performance in Insurance Segments: https://www.allianz.com/en/about-allianz/results/results-center.html

[2] Allianz's New Business Premiums Growth: https://www.moodys.com/research/Moodys-Allianz-Life-Castle-Puts-Positive-Pressure-on--PR_444989

[3] Allianz Partners' Strong Profitability and Revenue Growth: https://www.allianz-partners.com/en/media/media-release/012222-global-full-year-results.html

Katja de la Viña, who served as the CEO of Allianz Life Insurance AG, is stepping down at the end of the year to spend more time with her family, particularly her two children.
De la Viña's decision to focus on her family marks a significant shift in Europe, where prioritizing family life is uncommon among top-tier executives.
Allianz has expressed support for de la Viña's decision and clarified that her departure is not due to an emergency or illness.
Ruedi Kubat, the current chairman of Allianz Suisse Insurance Company AG, is taking over as CEO of Allianz Life Insurance AG.
Prior to his role at Allianz, Kubat worked as a consultant for McKinsey and served in various positions within Allianz Switzerland.
Laura Gersch, the CFO of Allianz Versicherungs-AG, will take over Kubat's role, with Klaus Berge serving as her temporary replacement, starting January 1st.