I first encountered Hannover Re when a colleague contacted me on LinkedIn to join the Advanced Solutions team. After my interview, I had a Taster’s Day in the department for a full day, which included meeting my future colleagues and working on a case study that gave me a first insight into the business. Everyone was very friendly and I gained a thorough understanding of one of our core reinsurance concepts.

Before starting in the summer of 2023, I received a detailed and structured onboarding agenda. The welcome was well-organized, and I was assigned a mentor, who is an underwriter for the Nordics and the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), which aligns with the markets I handle. All introductory sessions to reinsurance and Advanced Solutions business were scheduled, and my first business trip to Sweden in September 2023 was arranged despite being in my probation period. During my first renewal for the 1 January inception date, when about 2/3 of business is rewritten for a new period, I managed an exciting time with my Italian clients in Italy, where the hailstorms of the year had increased the demand for our reinsurance solutions.

In the meanwhile my partner has also moved to Hannover and together with the dynamic and international group of colleagues, I feel personally settled in Hannover as well.

Friederike earned her B.A. in Arabic Studies and Economics, as well as a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Mathematics in Erlangen and Würzburg, including a year abroad in Cairo. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, staying active, and listening to economics and history podcasts.

I leverage my robust mathematical skills acquired during my studies and Ph.D. to model each contract either by probability distribution fitting or statistical approximations using Monte-Carlo simulations. This enables me to not only analyze the result distribution for Hannover Re but also ensures that contracts we underwrite demonstrate sufficient risk transfer. Moreover, statistical approaches help us understand the complex interactions of features within a reinsurance solution, which is crucial when discussing and negotiating contract features with clients and brokers. Since each client is unique and contracts are tailor-made, the appropriate statistical methods may vary and are not always immediately clear, introducing a research component into my daily business activities.

Main drivers of our projects, so called submissions, are typically based on optimizing capital or reducing volatility in balance sheets and key performance indicators. Our reinsurance solutions are customized and innovative, meticulously designed to address the specific needs of our clients. These solutions frequently incorporate multi-year periods and risk-mitigating features, adding layers of complexity that demand a deep understanding of their implications.

Each project involves juggling multiple tasks simultaneously, communicating with contact partners from diverse backgrounds, and addressing unexpected developments or restructuring based on feedback to better suit our clients' needs.

Travelling is a significant part of my profession and I most recently represented Hannover Re at the Caribbean Conference in Mexico and had interesting client meetings in New York, Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico. Additionally, I follow the news to keep track of political developments or natural catastrophes such as hurricanes forming in the Atlantic, which allows me to assess their potential impact on my treaty portfolio and the profit and loss accounts of my clients. This proactive approach ensures that I can quickly assess the impact of natural disasters and other unexpected events, and offer appropriate reinsurance solutions suiting our clients changing needs.

Marcel holds a PhD in Mathematical Statistics from the University of Göttingen and remains actively engaged in mathematical research and its applications in statistical data science. Outside of work, he pursues his passion for salsa dancing, regularly attends dance conferences around the world and, whenever time allows, enjoys playing soccer and tennis.

While still early in my training, I was involved in transaction renewals and attended meetings with the C suite of major insurance companies. This gave me the opportunity to observe high-level negotiations, learning from our CEO at Hannover Re Ireland and other experienced colleagues. I was impressed by the professionalism of their preparation and exchange. As my knowledge and experience have grown, I have been able to actively participate in negotiations and meetings with cedants.

I am now looking forward to working with the Insurance Linked Securities (ILS) team in Hannover on a secondment for half a year. This will allow me to gain hands-on experience with catastrophe bonds, deepen my understanding of the ILS market, and further improve my German proficiency.

My start at Hannover Re was so thoughtfully prepared that I felt immediately welcomed within the team and the company. Starting together with two other new joiners made it easy to connect, and our training sessions provided a solid foundation in reinsurance and the Advanced Solutions business. Meeting many colleagues early on helped me feel comfortable asking questions and getting involved.

One of the things I enjoy most is the variety in our work. Each morning, I open my laptop not knowing what the day will bring: new cases, spontaneous discussions, and unexpected visits keep things dynamic and working across different markets adds another layer to it. The differences in data availability, broker relationships, and modeling approaches have taught me to adapt quickly and understand the unique context each environment requires. I never know exactly how the day will end, and that unpredictability is what makes the work so exciting.

The team culture is a big part of my positive experience. There is no elbow mentality. Everyone supports each other, and success is shared. It is not about who did what, but about achieving results together. Feedback is honest, and there is a genuine interest in helping one another thrive.

A truly energizing moment was my first business trip. I was working on a program with a colleague from Sweden and when the client showed interest in our concept, I was invited to join the presentation in Stockholm. This showed me how quickly I could become involved. Another highlight was our department’s retreat. I had the opportunity to engage with our colleagues around the world, which deepened my understanding of the company’s global culture.

Clara enjoys staying active through running and Pilates and loves discovering new cities while being outdoors. She completed her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Mathematics at the University of Würzburg and spent time in Rotterdam for a pre-master in Econometrics.

I have been with Advanced Solutions for over a decade, beginning with an internship that paved the way for my current role. During this time, I have specialized in developing tailor-made reinsurance structures that meet the evolving needs of our clients in diverse regions such as the Middle East, Korea, Japan, Southern Europe, and Africa. My role also involves authorizing contracts handled by our younger underwriters, providing guidance and ensuring quality.

Throughout my tenure, I have cultivated long-term customer relationships and have achieved a high degree of independence and self-determination in my work. Despite the many years, the job remains varied and continuously offers development opportunities. The evolving demands of the business and my market responsibilities, combined with intercultural insights, constantly present new challenges.

Underwriting does not come with a handbook; each contract is crafted uniquely to meet specific client needs. This is always a process which fosters new discussions and connections with clients and colleagues. Engaging in these discussions is crucial, as the exchange of ideas and perspectives helps in refining solutions, considering accounting implications, compliance aspects, regulatory changes, and the macroeconomic impact of factors like inflation or technological progress.

Furthermore, I am actively involved in the departments’ Education team on all matters surrounding training, selection of new joiners and mentoring of non-permanent joiners such as trainees, interns and working students.

No day in this role has been the same. The dynamic nature of the work, coupled with the need for continuous learning and adaptation, keeps the job exciting. My background in financial mathematics and analytical skills has been invaluable in navigating these complexities and contributing effectively to my team and the broader organization.

Jakob enjoys spending time outdoors and staying active through football, hiking, cycling, skiing, and climbing. He is also involved in organizing the company football team and has a strong interest in music and music festivals. He completed his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Economathematics at Julius‑Maximilians‑University of Würzburg.

In my early days at Hannover Re, I had the chance to participate in a training session with the Advanced Solutions team. I really appreciated this opportunity to gain a glimpse into the business, and I kept it in mind for my future development. After ten years in traditional reinsurance, I finally made the successful internal transition. The Taster’s Day was challenging but also revealing, giving me a good insight into what to expect.

The reality turned out to be two-fold. On the one hand, I still deal with the same clients and have a good understanding of their needs. The products are similar but on the other hand they come with a twist, offering a different perspective on reinsurance compared to standard products.

In my first months, I realized that the positive outside-in perspective on Advanced Solutions that I experienced — where colleagues were always approachable and willing to help — was indeed reflected internally. The management is well-synchronized, fostering a positive spirit of collaboration. It’s noticeable that everyone helps each other, and there is a spirit of creating synergies to develop the business together as a team. Our working environment is modern and undogmatic, fostering inspiration and creativity. Advanced Solutions truly embodies the company’s “somewhat different” notion, making it a dynamic and fulfilling place to work.

There are also challenges we need to tackle. The business has grown, and the usual dedication put into each of our contracts needs to be matched with a higher level of automation to make ourselves future-ready, thus allowing us to focus on presenting innovative, state-of-the-art solutions.

Ana enjoys dancing, traveling, and spending time with her family. She completed her B.Sc. in Financial Management at Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico and her M.Sc. in Finance at Ulm University.