Allied World's Barry Zurbuchen Appointed Chief Risk Officer

PEMBROKE, Bermuda, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, Ltd today announced that Barry Zurbuchen, Senior Vice President, Modeling and Corporate Pricing of Allied World Assurance Company Ltd, has been named that company's Chief Risk Officer.

In his role as Senior Vice President, Modeling and Corporate Pricing, Mr. Zurbuchen is responsible for the company's reinsurance, insurance and enterprise risk modeling activities and is a central resource for all pricing models. He has been integral to the development and enhancement of the company's Economic Capital Model. In his new role as Chief Risk Officer, he will continue to oversee the Economic Capital Model and the catastrophe modeling throughout Allied World. In addition, he will oversee Enterprise Risk Management for Allied World globally, including assuring compliance with regulators and the Solvency II directive.

Mr. Zurbuchen has 23 years of experience in the insurance industry. He is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society, and graduated with the highest departmental distinction from the University of Illinois with a B.S. degree in Actuarial Science.

About Allied World Assurance Company

Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, Ltd, through its subsidiaries, is a global provider of innovative property, casualty and specialty insurance and reinsurance solutions, offering superior client service through a global network of branches and affiliates. Our insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries are rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company, and our Lloyd's Syndicate 2232 is rated A+ (Strong) by Standard & Poor's and Fitch. Please visit our website at www.awac.com for further information on Allied World.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Any forward-looking statements made in this press release reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements. For example, our forward-looking statements could be affected by pricing and policy term trends; increased competition; the impact of acts of terrorism and acts of war; greater frequency or severity of unpredictable catastrophic events; negative rating agency actions; the adequacy of our loss reserves; the company or its subsidiaries becoming subject to significant income taxes in the United States or elsewhere; changes in regulations or tax laws; changes in the availability, cost or quality of reinsurance or retrocessional coverage; adverse general economic conditions; and judicial, legislative, political and other governmental developments, as well as management's response to these factors, and other factors identified in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We are under no obligation (and expressly disclaim any such obligation) to update or revise any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

SOURCE Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, Ltd