Württembergische Insurance Hires Former VHV Executive to Lead New Board Division
When a successful insurance company experiences significant growth, it often needs to restructure its leadership to manage that expansion effectively. This is precisely the strategic move undertaken by Württembergische Versicherung AG (WürttVers), the property and casualty (P&C) insurer within the German Wüstenrot & Württembergische Group. In response to strong new business gains and increased market share, the company has created a new executive board division and appointed an experienced industry leader to helm it. The chosen executive is Per-Johan Horgby, a former board member of the competing insurer VHV, who brings deep expertise in the crucial auto and personal lines insurance segments.
The Strategic Hire: Per-Johan Horgby's Background and New Role
Per-Johan Horgby is a seasoned insurance professional with a track record in leadership. His career move is part of a broader executive reshuffle that began earlier in 2021. At VHV, Horgby previously led the auto insurance division until Thomas Diekmann succeeded him on June 1, 2021. Horgby's departure from VHV was described as mutual, as he sought a new professional challenge.
He has now found that challenge at Württembergische Versicherung. Effective January 1, 2022, Horgby will take charge of a newly created board department. This move is a clear signal that WürttVers is investing heavily in leadership talent to capitalize on its recent momentum.
Decoding the New Board Structure: Focus on Core Growth Areas
The creation of a dedicated board division is a direct response to the company's performance. Württembergische Versicherung has reported significant growth in new business and corresponding gains in market share. To manage this growth strategically and maintain focus, the company has split key responsibilities within its executive board.
Here’s how the leadership responsibilities are now divided:
| Executive Board Member | Area of Responsibility | Business Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Per-Johan Horgby (New Appointment) | Newly created board department. | Private Client Insurance & Auto Insurance (Kfz), along with Customer Services. This bundles the high-volume personal lines segments. |
| Jens Lison (Continuing Role) | Existing board responsibilities. | Commercial Client Insurance (Firmenkundengeschäft) and the Claims Division (Schaden-Sparte). |
This structure provides clear, focused leadership for two distinct customer groups: individual consumers and businesses. For U.S. readers, this is akin to a major insurer like Progressive or Liberty Mutual creating separate executive vice president roles specifically for personal lines and commercial lines, each with dedicated P&L responsibility.
Strategic Implications of the Restructuring
For brokers, competitors, and market analysts, this executive appointment and structural change reveal Württembergische Versicherung's strategic priorities:
- Doubling Down on High-Growth Segments: By placing a dedicated board member over private client and auto insurance, the company is signaling that these are its primary engines for growth. This allows for more specialized strategy, product development, and marketing efforts targeted at individual consumers.
- Enhancing Customer Experience: Bundling customer services with the private client business under Horgby's leadership indicates an intent to tightly integrate service quality and operational efficiency with the core sales and underwriting functions. This can lead to a more seamless customer journey.
- Leveraging External Expertise: Hiring a seasoned executive from a direct competitor (VHV) brings in fresh perspectives, best practices, and deep knowledge of the German auto and personal lines market, which is highly competitive.
- Scalable Leadership Model: The division of responsibilities between Horgby and Lison creates a scalable leadership framework. As the company grows, each executive can build out their respective divisions without the constraints of a single leader overseeing all P&C operations.
In conclusion, Württembergische Versicherung's appointment of Per-Johan Horgby is far more than a routine personnel change. It is a calculated strategic decision to institutionalize its recent growth. By creating a dedicated executive role for its most dynamic business areas and filling it with proven talent, the company is positioning itself to not only sustain its current momentum but to accelerate it in the competitive German P&C insurance landscape.