Direct Line strengthens global team

Direct Line Group has strengthened its international management team with three new hires.

David Strachon has joined as managing director for its Germany business from Ergo Group, where he was marketing director.

Prior to Ergo, he worked for McKinsey for seven years and for DKV Deutsche Krankenversicherung, where he was in charge of the corporate business and the direct sales function.

Uwe Schumacher has been appointed chief operating officer (COO), international, working across Germany and Italy with an interface into the UK.

He will oversee change across international, to ensure the business has the right model for its existing operations as they develop.

Schumacher, who joins from Direct Line Group’s international business, will spend time in Germany, Italy and will also have a reporting line into the UK COO.

Lydia Bolck joins as chief risk officer (CRO), international, from Zurich Group in Germany, where she was at for 30 years.

She was CRO for ZFS Germany for 11 years and for the last three years has been heading up an integration project.

She joined the international team in September, providing leadership for risk management and compliance, creating a sustained and embedded risk and compliance culture. She will also be part of the risk leadership team in the UK.

Direct Line Group’s managing director Jamie Brown said: “This is a really exciting time for our International business and I am pleased to have been able to attract such high calibre candidates. 

“I am confident these changes will strengthen our ability to effectively manage and profitably grow our business and to build for the future whilst leveraging Direct Line Group’s core skills. ”