Empirical research in the intersection of insurance management, mathematics and economics
Cyber risk, AI and digitalization
Social security (retirement, long-term care and health)
Microinsurance and inclusive insurance
Capital markets, systemic risk and asset pricing
Efficiency and productivity in the insurance industry
Regulation and risk management
• 1977 born in Thuine (Germany)
• 1998-2003 Studies of Business Administration at the University of Münster (Germany)
• 2003-2005 Research Assistant at the universities in St. Gallen (Switzerland), Münster (Germany), and Aachen (Germany)
• 2005 Dr. rer. pol. from the University of Münster; Title of dissertation: "Hedgefonds-Strategien und ihre Performance im Asset Management von Finanzdienstleistungsunternehmen"
• 2005-2009 Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer at the University of St. Gallen
• 2008 Visiting Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA)
• 2009 Habilitation in business administration at the University of St. Gallen
• 2009-2011 Director of the Institute of Insurance and Professor in Insurance at the University of Ulm (Germany)
• 2010 and 2011 Visiting Lecturer at the Universities of Torino and Urbino (Italy)
• Since November 2011 Director of the Institute of Insurance Economics and Professor in Insurance Management at the University of St. Gallen
• Since 2017 Member of the Board of Directors of Concordia (Swiss health and accident insurer), Lucerne; since 2026 Chair of the Technology Committee
• 2018 and 2023 Research stays at Stanford, Sydney, Beijing and Boston
• 2022-2023 Vice Dean and 2023-2027 Dean of the School of Finance, University of St. Gallen
• 2026 Nomination for the IME Award 2026.
• 2026 Listed among the top 40 researchers in Switzerland in Finance and Economics (rank 35, research.com, rank 2 within HSG).
• 2025 More than 10,000 citations on Google Scholar.
• 2025 Listed among the top 40 researchers in Switzerland in Finance and Economics (rank 33, research.com, rank 2 within HSG).
• 2024 Recognized as one of the “World’s Top 2% Scientists”, Stanford University (confirmed in 2025 and 2026).
• 2024 NAAJ Annual Prize for the best paper published in 2023 for “The Economic Impact of Extreme Cyber Risk Scenarios” (with Mauro Elvedi and Greg Falco).
• 2024 Top Cited Article in the Journal of Risk and Insurance for “Technology Heterogeneity and Market Structure”.
• 2024 Bob Alting von Geusau Award 2023 for the best paper published in the 2023 ASTIN Bulletin, “Cyber Insurance-Linked Securities” (with Alexander Braun and Christoph Jaenicke).
• 2024 Journal of Risk and Insurance Excellence in Reviewing Award.
• 2023 Appointed to the RIMS Higher Education Council, Risk Management Society, New York.
• 2023 Journal of Risk and Insurance Excellence in Reviewing Award.
• 2023 Dean’s Wildcard for innovative teaching and learning formats at the School of Finance (courses Insurance Operations and History of Insurance).
• 2023 Top Cited Article 2022 in the Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance for “The Impact of Artificial Intelligence along the Insurance Value Chain and on the Insurability of Risks”.
• 2022 Patrick Brockett & Arnold Shapiro Actuarial Award of the American Risk and Insurance Association for “Capital Requirements for Cyber Risk and Cyber Risk Insurance”, North American Actuarial Journal (with Werner Schnell).
• 2022 Journal of Risk and Insurance Excellence in Reviewing Award for 2021.
• 2022 Nomination for the Award for Outstanding Achievements in Finance Education, Swiss Finance Summit 2022.
• 2022 Listed among the top 40 researchers in Switzerland in Finance and Economics (rank 35, research.com, rank 2 within HSG).
• 2021 NZZ economist ranking, place 38 (rank 5 within HSG).
• 2021 Kessler Prize 2020 for “Weighting Privacy Against Insurance Coverage” (with Christian Biener and Martin Lehmann).
• 2020 NZZ Ökonomenranking Place 22 (number 3 within HSG).
• 2020 Journal of Risk and Insurance Excellence in Reviewing Award for 2019.
• 2018 Les B. Strickler Innovation in Instruction Award, awarded by the American Risk and Insurance Association.
• 2018 SCOR Actuarial Prize for the Best Paper submitted to the IRFRC & APRIA 2018 Joint Conference.
• 2017 Selection as one of eight most relevant papers for the 40 year anniversary special issue of the Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance for “Insurability in Microinsurance Markets: An Analysis of Problems and Potential Solutions,” in: Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance, Vol. 37, 2012, No. 1, pp. 77–107 (with Christian Biener).
• 2016 Nomination for the SCOR/EGRIE Young Economist Best Paper Award, European Group of Risk and Insurance Economists (with Alexander Braun and Semir Ben-Ammar).
• 2016 Les B. Strickler Innovation in Instruction Award, awarded by the American Risk and Insurance Association.
• 2016 JIR Article of the Year, awarded by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for "Basis Risk, Procyclicality, and Systemic Risk in the Solvency II Equity Risk Module," in: Journal of Insurance Regulation, Vol. 33, 2014, No. 1, S. 1-39 (with David Pankoke).
• 2015 Early Career Scholarly Achievement Award, awarded by the American Risk and Insurance Association
• 2015 Nomination for the Credit Suisse Best Teaching Award of the University of St. Gallen (nominated by the students).
• 2014 Shin Research Excellence Award, awarded by the International Insurance Society for “Insurability of Cyber Risk: An Empirical Analysis” (with Christian Biener and Jan Wirfs).
• 2014 Best Article, awarded by the Casualty Actuarial Society for “Do Underwriting Cycles Matter? An Analysis Based on Dynamic Financial Analysis”, published in: Variance, Vol. 6, 2012, No. 2, pp. 131–142 (with Sebastian Marek).
• 2013 Best Perspectives Article, awarded by the American Risk and Insurance Association for “What Do We Know About Market Discipline in Insurance?”, Risk Management & Insurance Review, Vol. 15, 2012, No.2, pp. 185-223.
• 2013 Highly Commended Award Winner for 2012 for "Market-Consistent Embedded Value in Non-Life Insurance: How to Measure It and Why", in: Journal of Risk Finance, Vol. 13, 2012, No. 4, pp. 320-346 (with D. Diers, C. Kraus and A. Reuss).
• 2011 Kessler Preis 2010 for “The Performance of Hedge Funds and Mutual Funds in Emerging Markets”, in: Journal of Banking & Finance, Vol. 34, 2010, No. 8, pp. 1993–2009 (with Roger Faust).
• 2010 Kooperationspreis Wissenschaft-Wirtschaft 2010 (University of Ulm), awarded for the cooperation with the Microinsurance Network, Luxembourg, part of the project "Microinsurance and Efficiency in the International Insurance Industry" (funded by the German Research Foundation DFG).
• 2010 Lehrbonus für das Jahr 2010, awarded by the senate of the University of Ulm for excellence in teaching (nominated by the students).
• 2010 Spencer L. Kimball Award, awarded by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for “An Overview and Comparison of Risk-Based Capital Standards,” in: Journal of Insurance Regulation, Vol. 26, 2008, No. 4, pp. 31-60 (with Ines Holzmüller).
• 2009 Best Article, awarded by the Casualty Actuarial Society for “Management Strategies and Dynamic Financial Analysis,“ in: Variance, Vol. 2, 2008, No. 1, pp. 52-70 (with Thomas Parnitzke and Hato Schmeiser).
• 2008 Best Perspectives Article, awarded by the American Risk and Insurance Association for “The Solvency II Process: Overview and Critical Analysis,” in: Risk Management & Insurance Review, Vol. 10, 2007, No. 1, pp. 69-85 (with Hato Schmeiser and Joan T. Schmit).
• 2006 Acatis-Value-Preis (second place) for dissertation thesis “Hedgefonds-Strategien und ihre Performance im Asset Management von Finanzdienstleistungsunternehmen“.
• 2003 Best of 118 alumni with degree “Diplom-Kaufmann“ at the University of Münster in summer 2003, awarded with the zeb/rolfes. schierenbeck-Award.
• Department Editor (Insurance), Journal of Business Economics (since 2025)
• Co-Editor, North American Actuarial Journal (since 2023)
• Editorial Board, Journal of Risk and Insurance (since 2024)
• Editorial Board, Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance (since 2023)
• Editorial Board, Risk Management and Insurance Review (since 2021)
• Editorial Board, European Journal of Operational Research (since 2018)
• Editorial Board, European Journal of Finance (since 2011)