Swiss Re: Forget Resumés – Think Returnees, Rotations and AI
From «Build before Buy» to AI-assisted hiring and innovative programs for career returnees, Swiss Re is taking bold steps to win the global talent war. Group Chief Human Resources Officer Cathy Desquesses shares how the world’s second-largest reinsurer is leveraging data, inclusion, and out-of-the-box thinking to shape the future of work.
Cathy Desquesses, Swiss Re hires about 250 people a year in Switzerland alone. What’s your strategy?
At Swiss Re, we follow a «Build before Buy» approach. That means we prioritize internal talent development. Career planning, upskilling, and strong succession pipelines are at the heart of our strategy, because over the next five to eight years, around 20 percent of our employees and 21 percent of our managers will retire.
We want to stay attractive not just for new talent, but for the people we already have.
And how do you go about this in practice?
We align our future business strategy with our current talent pool, allowing us to identify skill gaps over a three-to-five-year horizon. From there, we shape our HR strategy in close coordination with the CEO and business unit leaders.
In Switzerland, Swiss Re has a strong employer brand. But what about abroad?
Internationally, the challenge is getting people excited about reinsurance – and about our mission to make the world more resilient. When it comes to IT talent, we’re competing with the big-name tech giants.
But we stand out with our purpose and the diversity of opportunities here. Our teams include professionals from all kinds of fields – doctors, climatologists, and AI specialists. Most people don’t realize how interdisciplinary reinsurance really is.
How do you attract young talent specifically?
We go straight to the source – universities – but we don’t send just HR. Our specialists speak directly to students. Alumni speak to alumni. We also run a strong graduate program with job rotations, training, and learning platforms. And we’ve expanded our apprenticeships and introduced programs tailored for career returnees.
In Switzerland alone, we train 21 apprentices every year across various roles.
Tell us more about the program for career returnees.
Our «Career Returnees@Swiss Re» program is designed for people who’ve taken a career break – often to start a family. These candidates bring a wealth of experience but may hesitate to apply.
There’s untapped potential here. We give these professionals tailored support, and in return, we get deep expertise, fresh motivation, and strong loyalty.
Are there other innovative programs like this?
Absolutely. Our «58+ Flex» model is a great example. It was actually initiated by a retiree who wanted to come back, part-time, to pass on knowledge.
Employees aged 58 and over can reduce their workload by up to 50 percent, while their pension contributions continue at their original full-time salary level. It’s now a core part of our talent strategy.
How important is inclusion at Swiss Re?
Let me give you two stats: We have people from 120 nationalities and five generations working together. Inclusion is embedded in our culture, and that won’t change.
Any company that ignores diversity is closing itself off from a vast talent pool. That’s a dangerous move, especially with demographic shifts tightening the labor market.
How is technology and AI in particular changing HR at Swiss Re?
AI is transforming tasks across the board. Some skills are becoming obsolete, which makes upskilling all the more essential. And top talent expects it. We train our people to use AI effectively. A bad prompt leads to bad results; it’s that simple. The machine is only as good as the human behind it.
We’re already using AI in recruiting, for example, to match candidates to roles. But AI doesn’t make the final call—humans do.
Will AI ever replace HR?
No. It’ll handle the repetitive tasks like CV screening, freeing up our experts to focus on high-impact, strategic work. It’s not about replacing people, it’s about making their work more meaningful. Humans remain in control.
Where do you stand on remote work?
We’ve been hybrid for a long time, way before the pandemic. Our approach is called «Own the way you work.»
Remote work is part of the deal, but the office remains our main workplace. That’s where culture is built. We expect people to show up in person. Especially for new hires, physical presence is key to feeling part of the team.
Cathy Desquesses is Group Chief Human Resources Officer and Head of Corporate Services at Swiss Re.
