SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- 11/03/09 --
Transformational private equity firm Exigen Capital today announced
that Wilhelm Zeller has been named to the fund's advisory board. Zeller,
the former executive board chairman of Hannover Re, the world's third
largest reinsurer, brings to Exigen Capital's advisory board four decades
of financial services experience that includes growing businesses through
both organic growth and acquisitions.
"Wherever Mr. Zeller has been during his 30-year career, he has helped take
businesses to the next level -- growing smaller businesses into large ones
and large ones into industry leaders," said Greg Shenkman, managing partner
of Exigen Capital. "This drive and history of success meshes perfectly with
Exigen Capital's investment focus on operational transformation and company
building."
Zeller served as the chairman of the executive board at the Hannover,
Germany-based Hannover Re for 13 years until his retirement this past June.
Under Zeller's guidance, Hannover Re grew in standing from sixth to third
largest reinsurer in the world. Through a program of organic growth
complemented by acquisitions, Zeller also made Hannover Re the world's
second most profitable reinsurer; under his management, the company's net
profits grew by more than $700 million and its return on equity (RoE) rose
from 8.3 percent in 1995 to 23.5 percent in 2007.
Prior to taking the reins at Hannover Re, Zeller was a member of the
executive board at Cologne Re of Cologne, Germany, and on the executive
council at General Re, of Stamford, CT, which together comprise another of
the largest reinsurers in the world, Gen Re. Before serving on the boards
at the Gen Re companies, Zeller was head of the International Non-Life and
Liability departments for Zurich Insurance Company, in Frankfurt, Germany.
Zeller, who holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the
University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, Germany, has received numerous
awards and recognitions from worldwide trade periodicals including
Reinsurance Personality of the Year, Reinsurance Company of the Year (five
times) and the Innovation of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Award,
which led to his being featured in the cover story of The Review in October
2008. Zeller, who speaks German, English, French and Dutch, is currently a
member of the board of Coface Deutschland AG and previously served on the
board of Deutsche Hypothekenbank AG.
"My focus has always been on building great companies," said Zeller.
"Therefore, I was drawn to Exigen Capital's investment strategy of
transforming business operations into efficient and profitable stand-alone
businesses and I look forward to helping these businesses grow."
About Exigen Capital
Exigen Capital is a Private Equity fund that invests to transform necessary
but non-differentiating business functions into independent, profitable
businesses; as well as in the technology and execution capabilities
required to effect transformation. Greg
Shenkman is managing partner. Its offices are located in San Francisco,
New York, and Zurich, Switzerland.
For more information about Exigen Capital, please visit
http://www.exigencapital.com.
Press Contacts:
Jeffrey Pease
Marketing Partner
Exigen Capital
Email Contact
Nicole Colwell
Connecting Point Communications for Exigen Capital
(415) 442-4022
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