José Ramón Alegre, 41, had been COO (Chief Operating Officer) at Direct Line Germany since last year. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business and a Master’s from IESE, and since joining Mapfre in 1999 has occupied a variety of senior roles in different countries. From now on he will spearhead the expansion of the company, which has a 13 percent market share of the direct automobile insurance business in Germany.

As the CEO of Mapfre in the EMEA region explained, “Alegre’s appointment will help us create the best possible conditions for competing in a market that is crucial for the growth of Mapfre in Europe.”

Direct Line Germany has nearly 600,000 clients.