Zurich appoints Sam Thomas as UK Chief Underwriting Officer
05 October 2026
Zurich UK has announced the permanent appointment of Sam Thomas as Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO), following a successful period leading the function on an interim basis. Sam will be responsible for Zurich's underwriting strategy across its UK Property and Casualty business, helping ensure the business continues to deliver sustainable growth, technical excellence and strong outcomes for customers and brokers.
Sam has been with Zurich for almost eight years and has held several senior underwriting leadership roles, including Head of Mid-Market and most recently Head of Retail Underwriting. She brings more than two decades of industry experience, having previously held senior positions at AXA UK and Allianz before joining Zurich.
Drazen Jaksic, UK CEO, Zurich UK, said:
"Sam is a highly respected leader whose underwriting expertise, commercial acumen and commitment to our customers have made a significant impact across our business. During her time leading the CUO function, she has demonstrated exactly the qualities needed to help us deliver sustainable growth in a changing risk environment.
“Her deep understanding of our markets, combined with her focus on collaboration and innovation, will be critical as we continue to evolve our underwriting capabilities and deliver the right outcomes for our customers, brokers and partners."
Sam Thomas, Chief Underwriting Officer, Zurich UK, said:
"I am incredibly proud to be appointed Zurich UK's Chief Underwriting Officer. The insurance landscape is evolving rapidly, creating new and emerging risks for businesses and individuals. I'm looking forward to working with colleagues across the business to ensure we continue to provide market-leading underwriting expertise, support our customers' resilience and drive sustainable growth for the business.
“We have talented teams, strong broker relationships and a clear strategic direction, and I’m excited to build on these foundations to further strengthen our proposition and deliver long term value for all our stakeholders."