Mr Howell will head up Zurich in the Asia-Pacific region from 1 September. He will be based in Hong Kong and will report to Mario Greco, group chief executive of Zurich Insurance Group.
Interim Zurich Asia-Pacific chief executive Stuart Spencer will remain in the region and work closely with Mr Howell.
Mr Howell joins from Generali, where he has held the role of regional officer for Asia since early 2015. He brings more than 20 years’ of industry knowledge to the position, as well as a successful track record in managing insurance businesses.
“Jack’s extensive experience, coupled with his leadership capabilities, make him the ideal person to strengthen our position in Asia-Pacific, where we see exciting potential to develop our business,” Mr Greco said in a statement.
“He will continue to build our presence in the region and drive profitable growth.”
