He made the announcement that he will step down “in the course of 2012”.  The reinsurer said the hunt for his successor has begun and they expect to be in a position to announce the name of his replacement in the near future.

Mr Lippe said: "In the course of my career at Swiss Re, the company has offered me a series of exciting opportunities. Three years ago I took on the challenge of leading the company through turbulent times as CEO. Today we can say proudly that we have delivered on all of the ambitious targets that we set out at that time. This is thanks to the dedication and hard work of the outstanding Swiss Re team. Now that the turnaround has been achieved, a new era begins for Swiss Re with a new corporate structure and refined strategy. This was the right moment for me to choose to inform the Board about my intention to retire early. This lead time should be sufficient to allow for a smooth transition."

Walter Kielholz, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said: "The Board of Directors very much regrets Stefan Lippe's decision to retire early after almost three decades at Swiss Re. Since becoming CEO in 2009, he has led Swiss Re through challenging times, during which we were able to turn around the company. Under his leadership we have restored our capital strength, repaid the convertible capital instrument to Berkshire Hathaway, regained the AA- rating with Standard & Poor's and improved premiums earned as well as net income significantly. We are initiating the process to select a successor and will ensure a smooth transition."