Former Zurich chief awarded CBE for charity work

Former Zurich European chief govt Gary Shaughnessy has been awarded a CBE for providers to enterprise and charity in King Charles’ birthday honours checklist.

Mr Shaughnessy stepped down from Zurich Insurance coverage in 2019, 4 years after being recognized with Parkinson’s in 2015.

He has chaired the board of Zurich’s charitable arm The Z Zurich Basis since 2017, and have become chair of the of the board of trustees of the charity Parkinson’s UK in 2019.

He helped steward the charity via the pandemic to guarantee that its work continued and help remained accessible for individuals who wanted it.

Mr Shaughnessy has additionally taken on many bodily challenges to lift consciousness and funds totalling greater than £500,000 up to now, cut up between Parkinson’s UK and Z Zurich Basis.

He has accomplished greater than 40 marathons and final 12 months cycled 1,400miles from Liverpool to Ukraine.

In 2021 he turned chair of The England Athletics Board, and he has a robust background in group sport, being a vice chairman of Whitchurch Cricket Membership and having fun with greater than 1 / 4 of a century with Whitchurch United Soccer Membership, as a participant, chair, youth workforce supervisor and president.

He stated: “Information of this award was so sudden nevertheless it’s such an honour to obtain it. I definitely didn’t got down to obtain private accolades. I needed to easily deal with what I may do. It was my means of taking management of my Parkinson’s and I hoped that possibly I’d assist a couple of others alongside the best way.”

On the day that his award was introduced, Mr Shaughnessy was amongst a workforce of cyclists setting off from Brighton to Barcelona. They are going to arrive in time for World Parkinson Congress on 4 July.

Caroline Rassell, chief govt of Parkinson’s UK, stated: “Gary is a real function mannequin each within the Parkinson’s group and extra extensively, so it’s fantastic to see his ongoing contributions to society recognised on this means. The dedication and fervour he exhibits for Parkinson’s UK and all areas of our work is unimaginable.”

In a private replace on LinkedIn, Mr Shaughnessy added: “Awards like this underline and present the worth that charities, and charitable folks, make to society. It ought to by no means be forgotten that we will all make an impression.

“The award displays the various inspirational folks in Parkinson’s UK and throughout the Parkinson’s Group who’ve motivated me and who share their optimistic message to these round them.

“It additionally displays the privilege that I’ve to work with the Z Zurich Basis workforce, Zurich folks and lots of of our sensible companions, who assist create a brighter future for weak folks the world over.

“Together with this, I’m lucky that, via England Athletics and thru sport extra broadly, I’ve benefitted from the enjoyment that sport can carry and seen so many do precisely that.

“The challenges that I’ve taken on over the past eight years have solely occurred due to the fantastic help of mates, household and colleagues. Time and again I’ve seen humanity at its finest. Thanks a lot.”

Mr Shaughnessy’s skilled profession noticed him work for the AA and the Financial institution of Scotland earlier than becoming a member of AXA as UK director of selling and model. He spent 9 years with M&G Investments & Prudential Group earlier than becoming a member of Constancy Worldwide with duty for retail and outlined contribution pension companies within the UK. In 2012, he joined Zurich, in the end being promoted to the group govt committee as chief govt for the Europe, Center East and Africa area, overseeing 20,000 folks in 22 nations, and financial institution partnerships globally.