Saad Mered
Chief Executive Officer,Zurich Canada
Skills and experience
Saad Mered is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Agent for Zurich Canada. In this role, he is responsible for leading all aspects of Zurich’s Canadian business and is Chairman of the Board of Zurich Canada Holdings Limited.
Since 2018, he has led a team of over 640 colleagues to deliver compelling propositions across Canada with a current focus on commercial general insurance space and addressing multiple customer segments therein. Mered has also implemented a Country Operating Model and in 2023 launched a personal auto offering.
Mered has established himself as a leader in the Canadian insurance market and is a board member of the Insurance Bureau of Canada (2023) and the Global Commercial Insurance Association of Canada. In 2023, Mered was named Insurance Business Canada’s CEO of the Year.
Prior to his role in Canada, Mered served as Group Chief Claims Officer where he was responsible for leading the global Claims function, improving claims capabilities and strengthening customer focus. His previous leadership roles at Zurich include Chief Executive Officer for the Middle East and Africa and Chief Executive Officer for the Middle East.
Mered joined Zurich in 2008 and has more than 26 years in the insurance industry. He began his career at AIG where he held a number of underwriting leadership and general management roles in the US, Europe and Egypt. Immediately prior to joining Zurich, he was responsible for overseeing operations and strategic growth initiatives focused on the small business segment, internationally.
Mered is passionate about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging and helping under-represented youth find a home in the insurance industry. To that end, he is a member of the United Way Greater Toronto Community Campaign Cabinet, the executive sponsor of Zurich Insurance Pathways Program, and a CEO mentor for the Junior Achievement Program.
Educational background
Mered holds a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of California, Berkeley.