16. EU Business News- German CEO Excellence Awards 2025 Feb25067 For almost a decade, Tobias Walter has worked for the German division of Sedgwick, a global claims administrator, first as commercial director and managing director under Cunningham Lindsey concurrently and then exclusively as Sedgwick CEO since mid-2018. Tobias’ stint at Sedgwick is the culmination of a career that has thus far comprised a string of high-profile roles in a number of diverse sectors across Germany since the 1990s. We caught up with Tobias to learn more about his career and impact on Sedgwick. Differentiated first and foremost by its ethos and complementary mentality, Sedgwick stands out from its competitors by always keeping its promises and delivering everything its clients could possibly hope for – and much more. An international enterprise operating in more than 80 countries around the world, the solutions-oriented mindset that the brand is famous for can be found across its teams, as is the case with Tobias Walter, its German CEO. Whilst Sedgwick more broadly specialises in the administering and management of claims across a wealth of sectors – including casualty, property, marine, benefits, and the protection of brands – Tobias’ expertise lies in supporting his colleagues and team, helping them to achieve sustainable growth, lasting success, and thrive in both their personal and professional levels. In doing so, Tobias empowers those around him to add value in the lives of clients, improving efficiencies and bolstering the wider Sedgwick brand. Leveraging 30 years of experience to contribute to the success of Sedgwick’s empire, the unique insights Tobias brings to the table stem from a diverse career taking him across the European markets and beyond. Beginning in sales, Tobias made the switch to claims during an eight-year tenure with Crawford & Company, and this is a field Tobias can never envision himself leaving. Combining a passion for the field with a person-centred approach, Tobias joined Sedgwick to help it achieve its mission of transforming claims. Diving deeper into this, Tobias explains: “I achieved the position of CEO through an emphasis on people skills. I am not a technical adjuster, nor a rocket scientist, I just love people. My experience has helped me form the high level of empathy that is required of any leader nowadays who wants to find success.” Such an understanding makes Tobias highly skilled when it comes to hiring and supporting talent, with the robust links he has built having proven instrumental in Sedgwick becoming Germany’s largest third-party claims administer. Equally as important in securing this milestone has been trust – which is something Tobias strives to nurture whenever it comes to taking on a new project or client. He tells us: “I am not meeting with clients in purely a sales role. I am meeting with clients to listen to their issues and understand where Sedgwick can help most.” To ensure he consistently achieves this, Tobias makes sure to have the right resources at his disposal and the right people at the table, leading to long-term relationships being nurtured with clients and employees alike. This leads us on to Sedgwick’s wider business strategy – to embrace innovation and be the best partner to clients – which is something Tobias strives to embody every day, both through his own actions and through those of his team. Often holding meetings to discuss and refine this strategy, as well as management practices and specific methodologies, Tobias is prioritising aligning his division with the goals of the wider company over the coming years. “In my opinion, it is not enough to be a market leader, we must be leading the market. Sedgwick strives to be the company that all types of potential clients call first because we are continuing to lead in innovation, strategy, and success.” Despite experiencing significant growth concerning both employee numbers and revenue in recent years, the work is far from over for Sedgwick, which is at the centre of an industry that is seeing expertise age out of the market around it. However, Tobias and Sedgwick have placed an emphasis on workforce development, training, and education to mitigate against any potential talent gaps in the future. Having guided his team through everything from the COVID-19 pandemic to the rapid integration of AI, Tobias remains keen on working towards future success, leaving his mark on this space, and nurturing the next generation of claims leaders. In closing, Tobias says: “I don’t want to be remembered simply for being a CEO, I want to be remembered for leaving a very positive footprint in the claims industry, on the people who are working in it, and in the communities that we serve.” This award is a recognition of all that Tobias Walter is and strives to be – and we believe his tremendous legacy to already be set in stone. Contact: Tobias Walter Company: Sedgwick Germany Web Address: https://www.sedgwick.com/ Claims Management CEO of the Year 2025
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