Commenting on Mr. Shortell’s appointment, Holger Schaefer, Head of Region, Allianz Trade Asia Pacific, says, “Chris’ vast experience in the field of trade credit insurance and his international exposure particularly in Asia Pacific would definitely ease his transition into Allianz Trade and help us to further unlock the Chinese domestic market, which is swiftly becoming our biggest and fastest growing market in Asia Pacific. Riding on his expertise in trade credit insurance and proven experiences in building successful business units from the ground up, I have utmost confidence in Chris that he would lead our China business to higher heights.”
Having started his career in the insurance industry, Mr. Shortell joined the Mitsubishi Corporation Group Companies in 1986 and took up various risk management and insurance consulting roles, where he spent a total of 13 years stationed primarily in Tokyo and New York. Afterward, he joined the American International Group Companies in 1999 for a number of senior positions in trade credit insurance and surety, most notably spearheading the company’s trade credit insurance business in Asia in 2004 which went on to win the Trade Finance magazine’s “Best Trade Insurer in Asia” in 2007 and 2008. Prior to his departure, he was based in Singapore as the Head of Trade Credit, Surety and Political Risk for Asia Pacific and Middle East. Mr. Shortell is Cornell University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.
On his joining, Mr. Shortell commented: “I am delighted to be joining Allianz Trade China at such a pivotal time. We have a great team and solid business partnerships from which to accelerate profitable growth. In this time of greater political and economic uncertainty, companies will demand a higher level of credit risk management and insurance service which Allianz Trade and its China partners will be well positioned to offer. And, leveraging China’s position as a hotbed of innovation in the digital space, we will create ever more efficient and needs-focused solutions for our clients.”
