Matthias Oberholzer

Matthias Oberholzer advises national and international clients on the recruitment of CEOs, board directors, and other top management executives. Based in Zurich, he advises primarily across the insurance, banking, and private equity industries. His recent assignments include the successful recruitment of CEOs, CHROs, CMOs, COOs, heads of strategy, and regional CEOs for private banks and global insurance companies.

Matthias joined Russell Reynolds Associates in 2008 and has held numerous leadership roles at the firm. He previously served as Leader of Asia Pacific, where he was responsible for the firm’s operations across a range of geographies, and was a member of Russell Reynolds Associates’ Global Senior Leadership Team. He has also served as head of the EMEIA region, Area Manager of RRA Switzerland, and head of the Global Insurance Practice.

Previously, Matthias worked for McKinsey & Company, advising insurance, banking, and sports clients. During his time there, he held leadership roles in the European and Swiss insurance practices and led knowledge management development in areas including claims management, underwriting, and bancassurance. Earlier in his career, Matthias founded and sold several companies as an independent entrepreneur. He has published a book on product innovation in the P&C insurance industry and authored several articles for leading industry publications.

Matthias received his BA in business administration and his MBA in insurance economics from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. He also holds an MS in e-commerce from Carnegie Mellon University and a PhD in insurance economics from the University of Basel. Matthias is a member of YPO.