Zurich digital portfolio manager James Garrett will become head of SME general insurance in Australia and New Zealand.

He takes over from Theo Pitsikas, who has been made Asia-Pacific head of SME and will move to Singapore for the newly created position. The pair start their new roles on June 16.

Zurich head of general insurance Alex Morgan says Mr Garrett, who is based in Sydney, brings a “wealth of SME experience and understanding” after more than a decade developing broker relationships. His current position includes responsibility for a large portfolio of SME customers.

“This will bring both continuity and a fresh perspective as we seek to further advance our proposition and competitive position,” Mr Morgan said.

“I also want to congratulate and thank Theo for his excellent leadership of Zurich’s SME team for more than eight years, which has seen Zurich grow to be considered a leader in this space.

“Theo’s appointment is both an excellent professional opportunity and an important strategic step forward that will see Zurich’s commitment to the SME market strengthen and scale in the region.”

Zurich says Mr Pitsikas will lead efforts to strengthen the insurer’s presence in the SME segment across Asia-Pacific.

“Given the relatively low penetration in developing markets for SME in southeast Asia, with only 15% of all micro-SMEs insured against natural disasters, Theo will be supporting Zurich’s Asian markets to build compelling ... propositions that help close the protection gap and provide greater resilience to this critical business segment.

“A major area of focus will be expanding Zurich’s SME footprint in the high-growth markets of India, Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as improving ease of selection and purchase using digital channels by working closely with in-country teams.”

Mr Pitsikas will report to Asia-Pacific head of commercial insurance and chief technical officer Sean Walker.

Mr Walker said: “Theo has been pivotal in growing our SME portfolio in Australia, where we have established a highly successful platform and SME proposition. [His] appointment is a strategic step forward as we accelerate plans to scale our support to this vital sector.”