Insurance provider Allianz Nederland Groep has appointed Ron van het Hof as its new chairman of the group's management board.

Mr van het Hof has spent the last six months working for Allianz in Munich. Prior to this, he was with Gothaer Insurance Group in Cologne, where he worked for 10 years.

Mr van het Hof spent two years as a member of the board of Gothaer Insurance Group, with responsibility for sales via all distribution channels, marketing and public relations. Prior to this, he spent eight years fulfilling various management positions, in life, general and health insurance areas. His career in the financial world began in the Netherlands, where he worked for Achmea, among other companies.

Mr van het Hof succeeds Henri van Lent as chairman of the management board who has retired from his position. Mr Lent led the company for 16 years and was responsible for the successful introduction of Allianz Nederland Groep in March 2003, among other things.