Interview with Robert H. Benmosche
Robert H. Benmosche
President and Chief Executive Officer
American International Group (AIG)
Biography
Robert H. Benmosche joined American International Group, Inc. as President and Chief Executive Officer in August 2009, when he was also elected to the AIG Board of Directors. Mr. Benmosche retired as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MetLife, Inc. in 2006 after an eleven-year career during which he led the transition of MetLife from a mutual to a public company in April 2000. Since then, MetLife has risen to be the largest life insurer in North America. During Mr. Benmosche's tenure, MetLife acquired General American and Travelers Life and Annuity. He joined MetLife as an Executive Vice President in 1995 to direct the merger of New England Mutual with MetLife, and to head MetLife's Individual Sales force and Retail Product Development. Mr. Benmosche was President and Chief Operating Officer from 1997 until he was named Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer in 1998.
Before joining MetLife, Mr. Benmosche spent more than 13 years at PaineWebber Group Incorporated, where he served in several capacities. These included Senior Vice President of Marketing, CFO of the Retail Brokerage Division, and as Executive Vice President from 1989-1995, serving as the head of Operations and Technology and Director and Sales Manager for over 1,500 retail investment advisors. He also directed the merger of Kidder Peabody into PaineWebber in 1994. Earlier in his career, Mr. Benmosche was a Chase Manhattan Bank Vice President and a staff consultant with Arthur D. Little. Mr. Benmosche received his bachelor's degree from Alfred University and served in Korea as a Lieutenant in the United States Army Signal Corps. He has previously served on the Boards of Directors of the New York Philharmonic, Alfred University, and Credit Suisse Group AG. He is a native of Brooklyn, New York.