2021 Break Out Awards NORTHEAST SOUTH MIDWEST WEST
NEURIS CHALAS Head, facultative property North America
Swiss Re America Holding Corp.
New York
Neuris Chalas joined Swiss Re in 2013 after five years as an underwriter for general property and inland marine at Crum & Forster and Great American Insurance Co. He was recruited out of college by Crum & Forster into its underwriter training program. Mr. Chalas was promoted from national team leader to Swiss Re’s North American head of facultative property reinsurance in April 2020.
What’s your top tip for working remotely?
Really boxing out your time. Creating pockets of time when you’re going to step away from your makeshift office, laptop or wherever you are working. For me, what’s worked is carving out 40 minutes for a walk and to get some fresh air.
What should the industry do to attract more young people to work in it?
We need to do a much better job of outreach. As a whole, we haven’t put enough of an effort into outreach and a marketing perspective. Some of our financial industry peers do a great job of that from a marketing perspective.
What is something about you that would surprise people?
When I was younger, in elementary then high school, I was very competitive in martial arts and even competed to be in the Olympics.
What’s one habit or hobby you adopted during the pandemic?
Cooking. It’s become a passion. I never cooked regularly prior to the pandemic. I’ve always loved Italian food, so I started learning how to make some of it at home. That’s something that definitely only happened because of the pandemic. Otherwise, I would have continued with my routine of eating out too much.
All-time favorite movie?
“The Shawshank Redemption”
What is your favorite meal?
Anything Italian. Specifically, the spicy rigatoni at Carbone (in New York).
