On Allianz Global Benefits’ 5th anniversary, Dirk Hellmuth, CEO and Cyril Samson, Managing Director, take stock, review the achievements and successes and speak about where they want to be in five years’ time.

Allianz Global Benefits is the global employee benefits network of the Allianz Group specialized in implementing local employee benefits pro-ducts, insurance solutions and services into global programs. The headquarters of the network is based in Germany and operates a strong global network of more than 110 Allianz subsidiaries and selected external insurance partners in over 90 countries. Leveraging on the geographical scale, the expertise and the customer centricity of its network partners, AGB addresses the needs of multinational companies of managing employee benefits globally. AGB is a one-stop solution provider, this means that our clients can expect the full range of corporate life, accident, disability, health, pension and asset management solutions tailored to their needs. The high quality of local employee benefits plans provided by our local insurers is the backbone of our global solutions that include Multinational Pooling, Global Underwriting, Captive Reinsurance and Global Pension. Our aim is to provide multinational companies a truly flexible and holistic set of solutions for their global employee benefits programs delivered by the world’s most trusted financial service provider.

As concerns over vaping continue to grow, researchers and public health officials are investigating the causes of more than 40 deaths and 2,000 illnesses. It’s confusing even for experts. The term “e-cigarette” refers to a battery-powered device used to inhale an aerosol that typically, but not always, contains nicotine, along with flavorings and other chemicals, but not tobacco. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognize e-cigarettes as a broad category that includes a variety of different products that operate similarly and contain similar components.

Exercise is recommended for people who are overweight or obese as a way to reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But people don’t always have time to exercise as much as they would like, so finding ways to increase the health benefits of exercise is important. Our latest research has found a way to do just that, and it’s to do with timing. This means you might be able to get away with doing less exercise if other commitments, such as family and work, always seem to get in the way.

Professional sport is full of stories of elite athletes “choking” emotionally and mentally under the pressure of competition. One famous example is golfer Greg Norman, who was leading the 1994 U.S. Masters by six strokes at the beginning of the final round, but then lost by five strokes to Nick Faldo. And England football teams are well known for their struggles in penalty shoot outs.

I tend to be overweight, and for the last few years my blood glucose levels have been putting me on the brink of Type 2 diabetes. I love my food, and it is often part of my social commitments. I’m a Spaniard, so there’s also the occasional tapas and glass of wine, or maybe a martini on Saturdays. As a physiologist, I know I need to take steps to control my blood glucose and weight. So early every morning, I spend a considerable amount of time pedaling away on a stationary bike.

New federal regulations finalized Nov. 15 require hospitals to make public all the prices they negotiate with insurers and health plans, starting in 2021. The aim is to untangle the hospital marketplace with a wave of consumer-friendly information that will promote competition that leads to lower costs. Hospitals are not happy, but advocates of well-informed, patient-centered health care should be cheering.

Cyril Samson cyril.samson@allianz.com Allianz Global Benefits Head of Sales Cyril Samson joined Allianz Global Benefits in January 2004 as Managing Director and was appointed as Head of Sales in July 2017. Based in Stuttgart, Cyril is responsible for the management of the company‘s sales & account management teams. He further services multinational clients in the risk as well as the pension field. Prior to this Cyril was accountable for

Dirk Hellmuth dirk.hellmuth@allianz.com Allianz Global Benefits CEO Dirk joined the Allianz International Employee Benefits Network based in Stuttgart as General Manager at the end of 2002. On January 1, 2005 Allianz International Employee Benefits Network became the legal entity All Net GmbH and Dirk took over the function of Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors. In January 2014, All Net re-branded to Allianz Global Benefits GmbH due to

Michael Scheu michael.scheu@allianz.com Allianz Global Benefits GmbH Head of Operations Michael joined Allianz Global Benefits in July 2003. Based in Stuttgart as Head of Operations he is responsible for the areas distribution, finance and digital solutions of the company. This includes the management of the strategic and operational relationship with the network insurers, the monitoring of all financials, steering data flows and operations as well as the delivery of

François Jacquemin francois.jacquemin@allianz.com Allianz Global Benefits GmbH Head of Products & Solutions François Jacquemin is Head of Products & Solutions of Allianz Global Benefits as of October 1, 2013. Since January 1, 2017 he is also responsible for the development and implementation of a centralized global corporate protection solution for Allianz Lebensversicherungs-AG on behalf of the Allianz Group. Before this he managed the project team which developed the strategy

David Shearer University of South Wales Professor of Elite Performance Psychology My research focusses on group dynamics, extreme sports, and readiness to train and compete in elite athletics. I am a BPS Chartered and HPC registered Sport Psychologist and regularly consult with Olympic and Paralympic athletes. This content requires a subscription or a purchase. Please login below or subscribe here.

Rob Edinburgh University of Bath PhD Candidate, Health I have just finished a PhD in the Department for Health at the University of Bath. My PhD research aimed to understand how simply changing the timing of our meals in relation to when we exercise (i.e. whether we exercise before or after eating breakfast) can alter the health benefits gained from exercise training. My research may help to explain why some people

Juan Ignacio Pérez Iglesias Universidad del País Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea Professor of Physiology Juan Ignacio Pérez Iglesias is a biologist and professor of Physiology at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). He heads the Chair of Scientific Culture at his university. He is a member of Jakiunde, the Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters of the University of Basque Country, the Scientific and Technological Council of the

Neeraj Sood University of Southern California Professor of Public Policy Neeraj Sood, PhD, is professor and vice dean for research at the USC Price School of Public Policy and a founding member the USC Schaeffer Center. His research focuses on pharmaceutical markets, health insurance, economics of innovation, Medicare and global health. He has published over 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals in economics, medicine, and policy, including JAMA, Quarterly Journal

Allison Kurti University of Vermont Assistant Professor of Psychiatry My research interests include behavioral pharmacology, behavioral economics, and the development of behavioral interventions to improve health. I am also interested in leveraging technological advancements in developing health interventions to increase their attractiveness and their reach. At present, I am conducting a study to examine the feasibility, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of a financial incentives intervention to reduce cigarette smoking during