Mutual & Federal introduces new Chief Underwriting Officer

Karen Miller

Mutual & Federal, one of South Africa’s leading short-term insurers, is pleased to announce the appointment of Karen Miller as its new Chief Underwriting Officer effective 1 November 2010.

Karen, who was previously head of market underwriting at Zurich, will be responsible for heading up the Mutual & Federal underwriting division. Her significant expertise and understanding of the market will help maximise the profitability of the company through the ongoing development of market leading products, best practice underwriting processes, analytics and systems.

A Fellow of the Insurance Institute of South Africa, Miller says: “I’m excited about leading the underwriting team as we apply strategic insights to take advantage of the opportunities that exist in the short-term insurance market in South Africa.” Miller has strong ties to the University of Witwatersrand, having completed a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA there. Miller co-chairs the business sub-committee of the industry connectivity initiative called STRIDE, and is deeply interested in creating a more sustainable short-term insurance business model through connectivity. She believes that business process and value chain efficiencies as well as improved service and underwriting governance can be facilitated by connectivity, data-sharing and straight through processing.

Miller, who has extensive insurance company experience in the local market, is in a sense ‘coming home’ as she previously spent a year at Mutual & Federal between 1996 and 1997.

“With Karen’s strong leadership capability, complemented by her relationship management and commercial skills, as well as her characteristic drive and energy, I believe she will have an extremely positive influence on Mutual &Federal,” says Keith Kennedy, managing director of Mutual & Federal.