After graduating in social sciences and economics, Knötzl started his professional life in banking. He joined the insurance industry in 1998 and became a product manager at UNIQA in May 2003. His tasks included product design in the property sector in the Central and Eastern European region, using all the marketing measures and instruments available from the product, price, communications and marketing policy areas.

“My goal in this new position is, for the time being, my quick, 100% integration into our sister company in Bratislava, which I basically want to achieve by mastering the Slovakian language. My work is going to focus on supporting and taking a load off the executive board, as well on UNIQA  - its life and the propagation of its philosophy,” commented Knötzl on his new challenge.

Knötzl was born in Vienna in 1965 and has a 6-year-old son. His hobbies include sports such as jogging, cycling, beach volleyball, windsurfing, tennis and football, as well as going to the theatre, opera or cabaret.

UNIQA poistovna, a.s., Slovakia,was founded in 1990 with its head office in Bratislava. 99.4% of its shares are held by the UNIQA Group, with the EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) holding the remaining 0.6%.

Premium income was bumped up by 18.8% to € 37.65 million in the most successful financial year, 2003. Life insurance grew by 24.3% to € 8.73 million and achieved a market share of 2.1%. Non-life increased by 17.2% to€ 28.94 million and a market share of 4.69%.

The integration of R+V was successfully concluded by the beginning of the third quarter of 2004. In May 2003, the UNIQA Group Austria and the German R+V Allgemeine Versicherung AG signed a contract for the transferral of the R+V shares in the latter’s company in Slovakia to UNIQA. After receiving approval from all the necessary institutions and authorities, UNIQA now holds 100% of the shares in R+V.

With its market share of 3.62%, UNIQA occupies place number 6 among the Slovakian insurance companies. UNIQA and R+V together have a market share of around 5%. Twenty-two insurance businesses are currently registered with the Slovakian Insurance Association.