Alexander White (pictured above) has joined Swiss Re as senior casualty treaty underwriter, reinforcing the reinsurer's property and casualty operations in Australia and New Zealand following its exit from the local life reinsurance market.
The appointment, effective January 2026, sees White move from Munich Re, where he spent just over four years. He held the role of senior underwriter for casualty treaty from April 2025 until his departure and previously served as casualty treaty underwriter beginning in January 2022.
Prior to Munich Re, White worked at AXA XL as a casualty underwriter from April 2015 to January 2022. He began his insurance career at Zurich Financial Services Australia, serving as a packages underwriter from December 2012 to April 2015.
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White holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Australian National University.
White's hire comes amid a strategic pivot for Swiss Re's Australian business. In April 2025, the reinsurer announced plans to transfer its Australian direct life insurance portfolio to a Hannover Re subsidiary, marking a significant withdrawal from the local life market.
Trent Thomson, CEO of Swiss Re Australia & New Zealand, said at the time that the company remains confident the new portfolio owner will serve policyholders' interests.
Read more: Swiss Re to transfer Australian direct life insurance portfolio
The exit formed part of a broader review of underperforming portfolios within Swiss Re's Life & Health Reinsurance business, with a focus on Australia, Israel and South Korea. The reinsurer has since reported that it has "materially completed" that review and expects a US$250 million pre-tax earnings impact from assumption updates tied to the exercise.
With the life portfolio now being transferred, White's appointment signals Swiss Re's intent to double down on its casualty treaty capabilities in the region – sharpening its focus on P&C reinsurance even as it steps back from direct life business.
His appointment adds experienced casualty underwriting talent to Swiss Re's ANZ team at a time when the reinsurer is recalibrating its regional strategy around lines where it sees stronger long-term returns.
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