In the section Backstage, interesting personalities from the financial sector and beyond provide insights into their personal preferences every Wednesday.

What is the first thing you do in the morning?

When I am at home, the first thing I do is prepare breakfast for my family. When I am travelling for business, I like to start the day with a run – it clears my head and gives me energy for the day.

What is the best thing about your job?

The impact we have as an insurer on the resilience of the economy as a whole: I am continually fascinated by how close we are to the major challenges companies face. For me, insurance is not just about assuming risks, but about enabling entrepreneurial activity and economic development in the first place.

A moment that changed your life?

There was no single moment, but becoming a father fundamentally changed my life and my priorities. My intensive time in Singapore also shaped me, among other things, because living in Asia broadened my perspective on the world, other cultures and different points of view.

What cars do you own? Which is your favorite?

For me, cars are primarily a means to an end, so I do not have a favorite model. At the same time, I personally have a special connection to the automotive world, as my wife’s family has been running a very successful company in the industry for 60 years. This allows me to experience first-hand how profoundly the industry is changing.

What advice would you give to your 20-year-old self?

Go out and explore the world. Trust yourself and your intuition, be courageous, but not reckless. Plan a little less and try more things – mistakes are part of the journey. Invest in people and relationships, work hard and trust that, in the end, the good will outweigh the bad. And perhaps one more thing: learn earlier to say no from time to time.

What are you particularly proud of?

My family. My wife, for whom I am incredibly grateful – because she supports me when necessary, but also challenges me and holds up a mirror to me. And of course, my three children. Seeing them forge their own paths and develop fills me with great pride time and again. Professionally, I am particularly proud of the people and teams I have had the opportunity to help develop. Seeing them take on responsibility and successfully follow their own path means more to me than individual business successes.

What do you do when you have doubts?

I consciously take time to reflect and try to understand where the doubts are coming from. I also actively seek exchanges with people I trust and who can offer me a different perspective. At the same time, I listen to my intuition – it is often a good compass.

What is your favorite wine?

I appreciate a wide variety of wines – for example, a good Pinot Noir. But if I had to choose one absolute favorite, it would be a Pintia from Toro in Spain. To me, wine is an art – I am particularly fascinated by how something unique matures from nature, craftsmanship, time and patience.

What projects are you currently working on?

At their core, many of my current projects are about transformation and growth in a challenging market environment in the age of artificial intelligence. The range is broad: from global initiatives exploring how we can use new technologies to support clients and brokers even better, through to specific client projects.

What do you admire in other people?

I admire people who radiate patience and calm – especially when things around them become hectic. And people with a natural presence: those who do not command a room through loudness, but through clarity, conviction and the way they treat others with respect.

What would be the biggest surprise for someone who had to take over your job for a day?

Probably the enormous breadth of responsibilities and how quickly you have to switch between completely different topics. My responsibilities range from Switzerland to Benelux, the Nordics and Italy, as well as global topics relating to our International Programs. In addition, I mentor and coach many people – including people outside our company. It is precisely this diversity between business, strategy and people that makes my job incredibly exciting.

What is your personal drive?

My curiosity and my optimism. I want to understand, discover and keep learning new things – from people, other perspectives and new challenges. I almost always believe that things can be changed for the better. This combination of curiosity and confidence is what drives me.

What are you afraid of?

Major events that cannot be influenced and that can change your own life or the lives of people close to you from one moment to the next. At the same time, I believe that courage and confidence are the best counterweights to fear.

Your favorite watch brand?

Watches fascinate me in much the same way as wine – to me, there is a great deal of artistry involved in them as well. My enthusiasm is not focused on any single brand. I am fascinated by the combination of precision mechanics, craftsmanship, elegance and durability. The Swiss watch industry offers exceptional examples of this – from the Swatch Group and Richemont brands to Rolex and Patek Philippe. It is precisely this diversity and the art of creating something precise and timeless from countless small components that inspires me.

Is there an unfulfilled dream you would still like to realize?

I still have a great passion for my profession and the insurance world. But when that chapter eventually comes to an end, I would like to devote more of my time to coaching – supporting, developing and encouraging people and passing on some of my experience to them. Perhaps one day I will even write a book about it.

Your best investment?

Our house. It has become the centre of our family life – our home and our retreat. A place where we come together as a family, where I recharge my batteries, find deep inner contentment and can enjoy peace and quiet. No matter where I am traveling or what is occupying my mind at the time – coming home means truly arriving for me.

Michael Rüsch has worked in the insurance industry for more than 25 years – since 2020 at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, the commercial insurance arm of the Swiss Re Group, which works with medium-sized and large companies around the world. Since 2025, he has been responsible from Zurich for the markets in Switzerland, Benelux, the Nordics and Italy.