Zurich defends report into CFO suicide at shareholder meeting

(Reuters) — Zurich Insurance Group Ltd. said an investigation into the suicide of its finance chief had been careful and conclusive, deflecting criticism of the probe by the CFO's widow, who is due to speak at the company's annual shareholder meeting later Wednesday.

"I think it's important and I'm grateful that the responsible authorities and we investigated his action carefully and conclusively," Chairman Tom de Swaan said at the start of the meeting.

Finance chief Pierre Wauthier killed himself last August, naming Mr. de Swaan's predecessor, Josef Ackermann, in a suicide note and prompting the former Deutsche Bank A.G. chief to resign as chairman.

Mr. Wauthier's widow, Fabienne, accompanied by her daughter, mother-in-law and brother-in-law, listened to Mr. de Swaan's remarks from seats near the front. In an interview with Reuters published on Tuesday she said she would express concerns about how the investigation into her late husband's death was conducted.