Zurich Financial Services

Formed in 1872 originally as a subsidiary for Versicherung Verein, Zurich started life building up accounts writing maritime insurance. Soon after moving out of this category and into main line insurance, the company soonw found profits moving skyward. Since then the firm has grown into a global enterprise with over 57,000 employees and a reported revenue of over $32.25bn in 2008. Its platform has influenced many different insurance brokers and agencies, and has become highly regarded and replicated across the industry. This year, Zurich has expanded its university support through the Zurich Dissertation Prize, which was first awarded in 2008.