Who are the New Senior Leaders at Allianz Partners Health?

Allianz Partners is a global leader in B2B2C solutions that span international health and life, travel insurance, mobility and assistance.

With a presence in more than 70 countries worldwide, the company handles more than 72.9 million cases each year.

Allianz Partners has announced four new senior appointments in its Health line of business, with the goal of driving growth across key global markets.

About Allianz Partners Health

Allianz Partners’ Health division offers health, life and disability insurance, as well as a range of health and protection services for organisations and insurance partners.

It looks after the health of more than 770,000 people worldwide, providing solutions to consumers, small businesses, large multinationals, IGOs, NGOs and government organisations.

The company provides health benefits, helping organisations to support and protect their staff through its products and services.

David Myers, Chief Sales Officer, Health and Benefits at Allianz Partners, says: “We are delighted to announce four new senior appointments within Allianz Partners’ Health line of business.

“The global leadership perspective, alongside the regional insight and digital transformation expertise that Giovanni, Liam, Carl and Elke bring, will be instrumental in accelerating our growth ambitions and strengthening our presence across Europe, the MEA region and globally.

“These strategic appointments underscore Allianz Partners’ commitment to enhancing our Health line of business with exceptional leadership and expertise.

“As we continue to innovate and expand our global presence, the insights and experience brought by Giovanni, Liam, Carl and Elke will be pivotal in driving our growth and delivering unparalleled value to our partners and customers.”

Commercial growth for Allianz Partners Health

Giovanni di Meo is the new Head of Commercial, Health & Benefits at Allianz Partners.

In this position, he will lead Employee Benefits, Corporate IPMI and Governmental sales segments on a global scale.

He is responsible for shaping and implementing global sales strategy and pushing trading performance across all markets, while building strong distribution relationships with partners.

Giovanni has 15 years of experience  in Life and Health insurance across Europe and Asia, with specialist knowledge in business development and broker management.

He first joined Allianz Partners in 2020 and served as Head of Sales Performance and Steering, Health & Benefits from 2023 to 2025.

Liam Hughes: Head of European Sales

The new Head of Sales Europe, Health & Benefits at Allianz Partners is Liam Hughes.

He will oversee the European sales team to support the company’s growth, retention and market expansion in Europe across all segments of the business.

Liam has extensive previous experience in building and managing high-performing global teams, specialising in recruiting and developing talent.

He joins Allianz Partners from Cigna International, where he was Chief Commercial Officer, bringing more than 30 years of experience in international B2B relationships.

The new Head of MEA Sales

Carl Downham has been appointed Head of Sales Middle East & Africa (MEA), Health & Benefits at Allianz Partners.

In this role, he will lead the development and execution of sales strategies, working on key partnerships and expanding market presence in the MEA region.

He has previously held multiple roles at Allianz Partners, including leading new business development with airlines across the MEA region in the Assistance line of business.

Carl then moved into the area of Health, where he led customer relationship management initiatives.

Carl announced the move on LinkedIn: “My 15-year journey with Allianz, spanning London, Bahrain and the UAE, has prepared me for this challenge.

“A sincere thank you to my past and present colleagues, mentors and the fantastic network of broker partners and clients who support my success.

“In my new role, I will be concentrating on strategic expansion across the Middle East and Africa, specifically targeting: Individual, SME, Large Corporate, Governmental and new Partnership opportunities.

“The goal is simple: to boost our regional success.”

Leading planning and performance at Allianz Health

Allianz Partners Health’s new Head of Sales Steering, Transformation and Performance is Elke De Cauwer.

She brings more than 25 years of experience in global healthcare and insurance services to the role, including 13 years with Allianz partners.

Her previous roles specialised in client solutions, digital transformation and operational leadership.

Elke’s new role involves leading a global team to advance strategic planning and performance management across the Health line of business.

She will be responsible for overseeing sales support, implementing processes and tools, managing reporting frameworks and leading transformation programmes.