Polish top insurer PZU appoints Benczak as new CEO
25/09/2025 07:16
Sept 25 (Reuters) - Poland's largest insurer PZU PZU.WA has appointed Bogdan Benczak as its new chief executive, filling a role that had been led by an acting CEO since the dismissal of his predecessor in August. The appointment, effective September 25, is conditional on Benczak receiving approval from the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF). Until then, he will serve as acting CEO, the state-run company said late on Wednesday. Benczak succeeds Tomasz Tarkowski, who had been serving as acting CEO since Andrzej Klesyk left the role in August. At the time, Poland's Ministry of State Assets said the change was needed to align management with ownership objectives and an ambitious growth strategy. The leadership change comes as the Polish government plans to merge PZU with the country's second-biggest lender by assets, Pekao PEO.WA, in a deal that would create a financial group with a market value of over 100 billion zlotys ($27.30 billion). Benczak, a lawyer, previously worked at PZU from 2008 to 2015, including as head of its Lithuanian operations, before moving to positions at insurers ERGO and Gjensidige. He returned to the PZU Group in February 2025. (Reporting by Marta Maciag; Editing by Anna Pruchnicka) ((Marta.Maciag@thomsonreuters.com;))