The FINANCIAL -- Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich) announces the appointment of Peter Rebrin (47, Brazilian) to the position of CEO for Zurich Latin America, effective October 1, 2009.

The FINANCIAL -- Swiss Re on September 29 announced the launch of a Focus report titled “Betting the farm? Agricultural risks in Brazil”, which demonstrates that while Brazilian farmers are aware of the risks posed by weather and commodity prices, few have the insurance coverage that could protect them.

The FINANCIAL -- The economic crisis has shown the importance of a long-term management approach. With renewed growth on the horizon, a prudent approach to financial risk management and regulation will govern the financial industry, the new Allianz Sustainability Report 2009 finds.

The FINANCIAL -- Over half (56%) of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in the UK have taken deliberate steps to diversify their business in order to survive the recession according to new research by Aviva.

The FINANCIAL -- Swiss Re, Oxfam America, The Rockefeller Foundation and The International Research Institute for Climate and Society at Columbia University (IRI) announced a joint Commitment to Action at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2009 meeting in New York on 22 – 25 September.