Hannover Re: Wilhelm Zeller retires

HANNOVER, GERMANY, Jun 30 (MARKET WIRE) --

Wilhelm Zeller retires

Hannover, 30 June 2009: Having led the Hannover Re Group for more than 13
years, Chief Executive Officer Wilhelm Zeller is retiring today as
planned.

After graduating in business administration with a major in insurance
studies, Mr. Zeller embarked on his professional career in 1969 with the
Gerling Group in Cologne. One year later he moved to Zuerich
Versicherungs-Gesellschaft in Frankfurt, where he headed the
Property/Casualty Germany and International Non-Life departments. In 1977
Mr. Zeller was appointed to the Board of Executive Directors of
Koelnische Rueckversicherungs-Gesellschaft AG (Cologne Re). In 1995 he
also became a member of the Executive Council of the Cologne Re's new
principal shareholder, General Re Corporation in Stamford, United States.
In 1996 Mr. Zeller assumed the mantle of Chief Executive Officer of
Hannover Re and E+S Rueck.

In his more than 13 years of service Wilhelm Zeller was instrumental in
shaping the company: under his leadership Hannover Re evolved into a
major global reinsurance group. Mr. Zeller restructured the Group and
established Hannover Re as a "somewhat different reinsurer". His strategy
of efficient capital management, active cycle management and a focus on
profitability rather than premium volume or market shares as well as the
strategically important expansion of life reinsurance business made
Hannover Re into a successful and strong reinsurer.

The Supervisory Board of the company has expressed its wholehearted
thanks to Mr. Zeller for his exceptional entrepreneurial accomplishments
and visionary leadership.

On 1 July 2009 Ulrich Wallin - as already announced in January - succeeds
Wilhelm Zeller as Chief Executive Officer of Hannover Re and E+S Rueck.

For further information please contact:

Press and Public Relations / Investor Relations:
Stefan Schulz (tel. +49 511 5604-1500,
e-mail: stefan.schulz@hannover-re.com)

Press and Public Relations:
Janine Bernkurth (tel. +49 511 5604-1931,
e-mail: janine.bernkurth@hannover-re.com)

Investor Relations:
Klaus Paesler (tel. +49 511 5604-1736,
e-mail: klaus.paesler@hannover-re.com)

Please visit: www.hannover-re.com

Hannover Re, with a gross
premium of around 9 billion euro, is one of the leading reinsurance
groups in the world. It transacts all lines of non-life and life and
health reinsurance. It maintains business relations with more than 5,000
insurance companies in about 150 countries. Its worldwide network
consists of more than 100 subsidiaries, branch and representative offices
on all five continents with a total staff of roughly 1,900. The rating
agencies most relevant to the insurance industry have awarded Hannover Re
very strong insurer financial strength ratings (Standard & Poor's AA-
"Very Strong" and A.M. Best A "Excellent").

Disclaimer:

Some of the statements in this press release may be forward-looking
statements or statements of future expectations based on currently
available information. Such statements are naturally subject to risks and
uncertainties. Factors such as the development of general economic
conditions, future market conditions, unusual catastrophic loss events,
changes in the capital markets and other circumstances may cause the
actual events or results to be materially different from those
anticipated by such statements. Hannover Re does not make any
representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy,
completeness or updated status of such statements. Therefore, in no case
whatsoever will Hannover Re and its affiliate companies be liable to
anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction with the
information and/or statements in this press release or for any related
damages.

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