Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty named its first-ever Chief Data Officer. A Willis Re executive is taking on a new job for the company in North America.

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Ali Shahkarami is the new Chief Data Officer for Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty.

In this newly created position, he will be responsible for the development and the delivery of AGCS data strategy and will report directly to AGCS Chief Operating Officer (COO) Bettina Dietsche.

In his new role, Shahkarami will focus on aligning various data initiatives, tools and investments with AGCS’s business and data strategy as well as Allianz Group’s data strategy. Together with the AGCS Data Solutions & Architecture team, which is reporting to him, he will empower and expand AGCS’s data governance framework to ensure privacy and fidelity of all data and applications. As well, he is tasked with enabling AGCS to have the capabilities needed to deliver business-ready products and services that inform and strengthen decision-making across all activities.

Shahkarami joined AGCS in 2012 as Head of Catastrophe Risk Research, where he was responsible for research and development activities to capture risks of man-made and natural catastrophes. In 2018, he moved to AGCS’s digital incubator initiative XSE to become the Global Capability Lead on Underwriting where he led activities on digital transformation of client facing functions. A successor for his present role as Global Capability Lead for Underwriting within AGCS’s digital incubator initiative XSE will be announced shortly.

Before joining AGCS, the Canadian citizen held various positions as risk modeler.

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Charles Rumball, currently executive vice president of Willis Re’s Specialty Reinsurance Division in Bermuda, is relocating to New York to become head of Specialty for North America for Willis Re.

Before this new position, Rumball worked as a lead underwriter across the specialty classes, and is experienced in portfolio management and structuring and negotiating group hedging strategies.

He was previously head of specialty reinsurance at Ariel Re, which he joined in 2006 from Guy Carpenter where he was a reinsurance broker based in London and New York, after beginning his career in 2002.

Rumball will report to Donald Harrell, chief operating officer of Willis Re Specialty and Jeffrey Livingston, executive vice chairman, CEO, Willis Re North America.

Sources: Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, Willis Re