Birgit Ludwig appointed COO of Swiss Life Asset Managers

Birgit Ludwig will become the new COO of Swiss Life Asset Managers, joining the Executive Committee, effective January 1, 2026. 

Birgit Ludwig

She will replace Robin van Berkel, who is stepping down from the COO role as part of a long-term succession plan.
Ludwig brings over two decades of experience in financial services, including ten years in COO positions at BlackRock Asset Management across Zurich, Frankfurt, and London. 
In her new role, she will report to Per Erikson, group CIO of Swiss Life, and will be responsible for the organisation's development and transformation aligned with its growth strategy as a European asset manager.
Robin van Berkel will transition out of his COO and Executive Committee roles on January 1, 2026, but will remain with Swiss Life Asset Management as a managing director, working part-time. He will continue to report to Per Erikson and contribute his expertise to various asset management initiatives and projects.
Per Erikson, group CIO of Swiss Life, said: “I am very pleased that we have been able to recruit Birgit – a manager with strong people skills and many years of experience in the strategic management and further development of central operating systems. She has a strong track record in operational improvement of corporate efficiency and will continue to drive the growth strategy of our third-party business. At the same time, we would like to thank Robin van Berkel most sincerely for his many years of commitment and outstanding work and look forward to continuing to work with him.”