Zurich Investment To Create 240 Jobs

The recruitment drive, which will be completed by the end of this year, will bring Zurich's total workforce here to 1,100.

Already, 120 of the jobs have been filled through a new business centre in Wexford.

The rest of the jobs are being filled in two of the company's European centres - in the Irish Financial Services Centre, Dublin, and Blackrock, Dublin.

Minister O'Keeffe this week welcomed the chief executive of Zurich Financial Services Group, Martin Senn, to Ireland.

"World-leader Zurich has chosen Ireland as the European centre for its strategically important operations - a strong endorsement of our highly educated and flexible workforce in the financial services sector.

"The creation of 240 positions which will all be filled by the end of the year demonstrates Zurich's commitment to growth in Ireland and reaffirms the Government's confidence in our ability to recover from recession," said Minister O'Keeffe.

The chief executive of Zurich Insurance plc and chairman of Zurich Life Assurance plc, Markus Hongler, said: "Zurich considered a number of options and Ireland best met our requirements because of its long-standing membership of the European Union and the euro, a well-developed insurance market and a highly educated and skilled workforce.

"These factors continue to underpin our success and drive our business in Ireland and across Europe."

Zurich Insurance plc [General Insurance] is headquartered in the Irish Financial Services Centre in Dublin. It is Zurich's main insurance risk-carrier for most of its European Union (EU) general insurance business. Zurich Insurance plc operates in Ireland and across the EU with branches in the UK, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Portugal and Italy.

Zurich Insurance plc plans to expand its operations with the transfer of business from Germany to Dublin, making it the largest general insurance operation in the EU.

Zurich Insurance plc will employ 60 workers by the end of this year.

Zurich Global Life has been developing life insurance products for European markets in Blackrock, Dublin, since last year.

The European manufacturing and servicing hub is manufacturing products for markets in Ireland, Italy, Germany and the UK. It has filled 35 skilled positions, with 25 workers to be hired this year.