CFO of Swiss insurer killed himself: police

Zurich Insurance CFO Pierre Wauthier was found dead on Monday Keystone

Zurich Insurance chief financial officer Pierre Wauthier, who was found dead at his home on Monday, probably committed suicide, according to the local police in Zug.

A police spokesman, citing information from the Forensic Medicine Institute, said third party involvement in his death could be ruled out.

In announcing Wauthier’s death, Zurich Insurance, Switzerland’s largest insurance company, said it would not disclose further details out of consideration for his family.

“The Board of Directors, Group Executive Committee and all of our colleagues are deeply saddened and pass on our condolences to the family and relatives,” Chief Executive Officer Martin Senn said in statement on the company’s website.
 
Wauthier, who held both French and British passports, was a resident of Walchwil in canton Zug. Born in 1960, he began his career at KPMG in 1982. He worked for two years at the French ministry of foreign affairs and joined J.P.Morgan in 1985, where he stayed until moving to Zurich Insurance in 1996.
 
He was appointed CFO in September 2011 after previous roles as group treasurer and head of centrally managed businesses at the Swiss insurer.

Vibhu Sharma, group controller, is taking over the CFO role on an interim basis, the company said.

Shares in Zurich Insurance fell by 2.38 per cent on Tuesday. 

A month ago, another top executive, Swisscom head Carsten Schloter, 49, was found dead at his home. He had committed suicide.