The French insurance industry association the Club des Assureurs has named Eric Lombard “2011 Insurance Executive of the Year”.

The jury comprises journalists from business and finance publications. The “Insurance Executive of the Year” distinction recognizes the insurance company's achievements during the year and the personality of the chief executive.

Eric Lombard joins previous holders of the award, including Patrick Peugeot (La Mondiale), Gérard Andreck (Macif), Denis Kessler (Scor), Jean-Philippe Thierry (Allianz)…

The Club des Assureurs is a non-profit organization that, since 2000, has recognized leaders in the insurance industry with its annual awards. The Club des Assureurs was formed to bring together members of the insurance industry, including executives of insurance and mutual insurance companies, collective health insurance providers, pension funds, insurance subsidiaries of banks and brokers.

Eric Lombard is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BNP Paribas Cardif and a member of BNP Paribas Group Executive Committee.

From 1989 to 1993, Eric Lombard held a series of positions as a government official, first as technical adviser in the cabinet of Louis Le Pensec, French Government spokesman, from 1989 to 1991. He then became Adviser to Michel Sapin, Junior Minister for Justice from 1991 to 1992, and Minister of Economy and Finance from 1992 to 1993.

Eric Lombard joined Paribas in April 1993, as Head of Mergers & Acquisitions for the Banking and Insurance sectors. He was then appointed Head of the Financial Institutions Group and member of the department's Executive Committee from 1997 to 1999. He was appointed Head of the BNP Paribas Financial Institutions Group in September 1999, becoming a member of the Management Committee of the Corporate and Investment Banking business. In September 2002 he became Head of Corporates and Financial Institutions.

In 2004, he became Chief Executive Officer of BNP Paribas Cardif, the life and casualty insurance arm of BNP Paribas, and a member of the Management Committee of the BNP Paribas Investment Solutions business division.

Eric Lombard graduated from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC) business school.

 Photo available from the BNP Paribas Cardif press office.