It will mark a return for Mario Greco who was Zurich GI boss from 2010 until 2012

Mario greco

Italian insurer Generali chief executive Mario Greco is being tipped as the favourite to replace Martin Senn as Zurich Group chief executive.

It would mark a return for Mario Greco who was Zurich GI boss from 2010 until 2012 after joining the insurer in 2007.

Senn will leave the insurer at the end of this year after six years at the helm.

The company said Senn had decided to step down “by mutual agreement with the board of directors”.

His departure follows Zurich’s failed takeover of rival insurer RSA and a sharp drop in third-quarter profit.

Zurich chairman Tom de Swaan was appointed as Senn’s replacement on an interim basis.

At the time De Swaan said he had high hopes Zurich would find a new chief executive “relatively soon”, Reuters reports.

A Zurich spokeswoman said the insurer did not comment on market rumours or speculation.

Generali declined to comment.