COLOGNE, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Ordinary General Meeting of the Kölnische Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft AG has decided to change the company’s name to General Reinsurance AG with effect from 1 July 2010.

Tad Montross, Spokesperson for the Board of Executive Directors of the Kölnische Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft AG and CEO of the Gen Re Group, comments “We have been operating under the brand name Gen Re on a global basis since 2003. Today we are changing the name of our German company, Cologne Re, to General Reinsurance AG. We are not changing the way we do business. We are not changing the legal entity or the management of that company. It is simply time after 16 years to project the reality—we operate around the world as one company. Market surveys confirm this and now our name will as well.”

Dr. Winfried Heinen, Deputy Spokesperson for the Board of Executive Directors, adds “Our local operations, based on our global strength, have transformed us into a company which is highly regarded internationally. A uniform name will symbolize our Group’s joint strength and strategy, regardless of operational legal entities.

We are additionally expecting the harmonization of our legal name to simplify administrative procedures, a development which will underpin our endeavours to operate our core business as simply and cost-effectively as possible—obviously, while maintaining the high quality standards to which our clients have become accustomed.”

General Re Corporation, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., is a holding company for global reinsurance and related operations. Gen Re is one of the largest reinsurers worldwide. It is represented in all major reinsurance markets through a global network in more than 45 locations, supported by over 1900 employees worldwide.

General Re Corporation
(Media Relations)
Sabine Denné, +49 221 9738 739