Linda Freiner — CEO
I have spent the last decade building sustainability into the core of one of the world's largest insurers as a strategic discipline to manage long-term risks and leverage new business opportunities. As Chief Sustainability Officer at Zurich Insurance Group, I lead the Group's global sustainability strategy across more than 50 markets, with accountability to Group ExCo and the Supervisory Board. My work spans the full value chain: from climate transition planning and double materiality assessment to underwriting portfolio alignment, environmental and social risk management, and responsible investment. I oversee Zurich's corporate foundation and represent the Group in key external bodies including UNEP FI and the World Economic Forum. One of my early decisions was to transition sustainability reporting into the finance function in 2021 which proved formative as regulatory expectations caught up. It shaped how I think about sustainability governance: not as a separate exercise, but as a matter of controls, credibility, and board-level accountability, fully integrated into the Group's corporate governance approach. Before Zurich, I held senior roles at the World Economic Forum, where I developed a fluency in systemic risk and multi-stakeholder governance that has informed my approach ever since. I work at the intersection of sustainability risk, financial materiality, and corporate governance, territories that is increasingly consequential for boards navigating CSRD, TCFD, TNFD, transition planning obligations, and investor scrutiny. I bring both the technical depth and the executive perspective to contribute meaningfully as a board member or senior adviser, particularly in financial services, insurance, energy transition, and carbon-intensive industries. I am selectively open to board and advisory mandates where sustainability governance is a strategic priority. Specialties: -Business transformation -Sustainability strategy -Sustainability risk management -Climate transition planning -Governance & board engagement -Sustainable insurance -Responsible investment -Stakeholder engagement -CSRD reporting -Advocacy and public policy -Corporate foundation management
Stackforce AI infers this person is a Sustainability Executive with expertise in risk management and corporate governance in the insurance sector.
Location: Zürich, Switzerland
Experience: 24 yrs 5 mos
Skills
- Sustainability Strategy
- Governance & Board Engagement
- Sustainability Risk Management
- Corporate Responsibility
- Risk Management
- Community Engagement
- Partnership Management
- Business Development
- Consulting
- Business Strategy
- Finance Management
Career Highlights
- Led global sustainability strategy for Zurich Insurance.
- Pioneered integration of sustainability into corporate governance.
- Managed $50M global flood resilience program.
Work Experience
Zurich Insurance
Group Chief Sustainability Officer (2 yrs 2 mos)
Group Head of Sustainability (7 yrs 8 mos)
Flood Resilience Program Manager, Group Corporate Responsibility, Member of the Executive Staff (3 yrs 4 mos)
World Economic Forum
Associate Director, Head of Community Engagement, Risk Response Network (1 yr 8 mos)
Associate Director, Head of Financial Services Partnerships, Global Leadership Fellow (3 yrs 6 mos)
CFI Group
Consultant (1 yr 11 mos)
Procter & Gamble
Finance Manager (2 yrs)
Nordea
Associate (2 yrs 2 mos)
Education
M.Sc. at Stockholm School of Economics
Exchange semester at University of St.Gallen
Diplôme de Français des Affaires at Université Stendhal Grenoble 3
High School diploma at Hjalmar Lundbohmsskolan Kiruna
Baccalauréat Littéraire at Lycée Les Eaux Claires, Grenoble, France
