In a recent statement, Allianz Commercial announced that Chris Townsend will assume the role of interim CEO of Allianz Commercial and AGCS SE, pending regulatory approval. This transition follows the departure of Papanikolaou, who had been serving as CEO since January 1, 2024, succeeding Joachim Müller.
Papanikolaou, who has been with Allianz since 1998, has held a variety of financial management positions, starting at AGF Kosmos. His leadership extended to roles such as CEO of Central Europe for Allianz Group starting in 2015, where he managed operations across 11 countries. Previously, he led Allianz Hellas from 2004 to 2015 and held several key positions early in his career, including general manager in life, sales, and property/casualty sectors, as well as an auditor at EY.
Townsend, who steps in as interim CEO, brings over 34 years of industry experience. Before joining Allianz’s board of management in 2021, Townsend was CEO International at AIG, overseeing general insurance operations outside the US, and CEO of MetLife Asia, where he was part of the global executive committee. At Allianz, Townsend currently manages global insurance lines, reinsurance, Anglo markets, the Middle East, and Africa. He also chairs the supervisory board of Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE and holds non-executive director roles within other Allianz Global Group entities.
