Zurich North America announces Head of Broker Management
October 31, 2019
Bill Blake is our new Head of Broker Management for U.S. Commercial Insurance Sales & Distribution, working to further enhance Zurich’s relationships with our global, national and regional brokers.
Bill Blake has been named Head of Broker Management for U.S. Commercial Insurance Sales & Distribution for Zurich North America, effective November 1, 2019. He reports to Brian Winters, Head of Sales & Distribution.
“Bill will be responsible for redefining and enhancing our relationships with Zurich’s global, national and regional Select Brokers,” Winters said. “He is ready to reach out to these important colleagues to foster the collaborative relationships that will help us drive positive outcomes for our mutual businesses.”
Blake will remain based in Los Angeles with plans to relocate to New York. He replaces Joseph Murphy, who retired earlier this year.
“I am excited to begin this new chapter of advancing and nurturing the relationship between brokers and our own team of Broker Relationship Leaders,” Blake said. “Collaboration is always important, and especially so in today’s competitive marketplace. Working together effectively moves all of us closer to our ultimate objective: delivering solutions that support our mutual customers.”
Prior to assuming this role, Blake has been the Area Executive for the Southwest region, responsible for market execution and business transactions in the Southwestern U.S. He will continue to serve in this role on an interim basis. A search for his replacement will begin shortly.
Previously, Blake served in leadership roles for the former Commercial Markets business unit and the company’s Construction team. Before joining Zurich in 1997, he held leadership positions at General Star Management Company and was a senior underwriter at The Hartford Insurance Group. Blake is also the former Chairman of the Board for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Hobart College in New York.
Three things to know about Bill
- “I am married with two sons, one just started college this year!”
- “I like to golf, read, fish and spend time with my wife and our dog at the beach."
- “I am originally from New York, but have lived in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago — all great cities.”