Japhet Boutin of Zurich North America honored as Claim Executive of the Year

Japhet Boutin, Director of Financial Lines Claims for Zurich North America, was celebrated as the 2022 Steven J. Gladstone Claim Executive of the Year at a dinner in New York City recently.

The annual event honors and recognizes leadership, character and technical expertise in the claims side of the management and professional liability insurance business. It has become known as the Claim Executive of the Year (CEY) Dinner to those in the industry.

“We are incredibly proud that Japhet’s talents and accomplishments, which we get to experience every day, are being recognized by the industry with this award,” said Keith Daly, Chief Claims Officer for Zurich North America. “Japhet is the type of leader who challenges each of us to be better and to set high expectations, yet compassionately achieve those results.”

Boutin has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, both as an attorney and a claims professional, and she has been with Zurich since 2009. As Vice President and Director of Financial Lines Claims, Boutin oversees claims involving Public & Private Directors and Officers (D&O), Financial Institutions Errors and Omissions (E&O), Professional Liability, Cyber, Employment Practices Liability, Fiduciary Liability, Professional Programs, Accident & Health, and Healthcare. She manages a team of more than 100 claims professionals. She also provides technical insight regarding D&O claims to Zurich’s Global Financial Lines Center of Excellence, serving as faculty at annual global training events.

“I love Financial Lines claims because it’s so diverse that no day is the same,” Boutin said. “Every day I get to engage with different people, different lines and different issues. It’s exciting and I’m learning every day.” 

Before joining Zurich, Boutin worked in a variety of roles at AIG in the Financial Lines claims arena and also worked in private practice as a litigator. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Barnard College of Columbia University and graduated from Temple University Law School.

Boutin said she was overwhelmed by the support of her colleagues at the dinner and treasured the opportunity to direct the proceeds to charity. In recognition of the honoree’s dedication and service, the CEY Committee donates all net proceeds from the dinner to the honoree’s chosen charity or charities. Boutin chose three: the American Cancer Society, The Bridge, and Futures and Options.

Boutin is a board member of The Bridge, a nonprofit whose mission is to foster an inclusive network that generates meaningful connections among Financial Lines professionals with the goal of developing and advancing high potential women to increase the number of diverse colleagues in senior roles.

“My three charities were chosen because each of them work to bring hope to others,” Boutin said. “I chose the American Cancer Society because my mom died of cancer four years ago and I hope that my contribution will help efforts for cancer research so that someday no one will lose their loved one to cancer. The Bridge works to support the development of female talent in Financial Lines; I hope that we can someday have greater representation and diversity in the C-suites. Futures and Options opens doors and opportunities to inner city students to help them achieve their dreams.”

The Claim Executive of the Year Dinner was founded in 2014 by Chris Cavallaro of ARC Excess & Surplus and Ivan Dolowich of Kaufman Dolowich Voluck, LLP.  In 2021, it was renamed the Steven J. Gladstone Claim Executive of the Year Dinner in memory of a past honoree and longtime industry leader.

“Over the years, claim professionals have made significant contributions to the insurance industry as well as to countless industries impacted by claims and litigation, yet in our view such professionals have not received the same level of recognition as other insurance industry leaders,” the event website states.  “Recipients of the Steven J. Gladstone CEY Award are selected based on their years of creative contributions and devoted service to the insurance industry, as well as their ability to lead and influence others to achieve superior results while maintaining the highest levels of professionalism in the industry.”  

Paul Lavelle, Head of U.S. National Accounts and previously Chief Claims Officer for Zurich North America, received the award in 2017 and is a member of the CEY Committee.