Swiss Re Bringing 400 Jobs to Downtown Kansas City, Relocating from Overland Park
October 26, 2017 | Kevin Collison | 2 min read
By Kevin Collison
Swiss Re, a global reinsurance firm based in Switzerland, is relocating its Overland Park office to downtown Kansas City, a move that will bring 400 jobs.
Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens announced the move Wednesday, which follows a visit by the governor to the firm’s headquarters in Zurich. The firm will be moving into space at One Kansas City Place, downtown’s tallest skyscraper, in late 2018.
“I’m proud to say that our work is getting results,” Greitens said in a statement. “We’re taking the state in a new direction with more jobs and higher pay.”
Eric Smith, president and CEO of Swiss Re America, said his firm was excited about the move downtown.
“This is an opportunity to be closer to our lead U.S. regulator and update our workspace to meet the work needs of today,” Smith said in a statement. “Kansas City is a great location for our company, and we look forward to partnering with Missouri.”
Missouri is offering up to $20 million in incentives over the next five years to recruit the company from Kansas through its Missouri Works Program.
“Swiss Re is a global leader in the insurance industry, and they’ll be a great fit here in Missouri,” said Rob Dixon, acting director of the State Department of Economic Development.
Swiss Re is a leading wholesale provider of reinsurance, insurance and other insurance-based forms of risk transfer. It was founded in Zurich in 1863 and has 80 offices around the world.
The decision to bring 400 jobs to downtown helps meets a major goal of the Downtown Council, which held a summit earlier this year on the topic of bringing more private employers downtown.
Earlier this year, Spring Venture Group announced it was expanding into new space at the 12 Wyandotte Plaza building in downtown and expected to add 681 jobs over the next few years.
Both 12 Wyandotte Plaza and One Kansas City Place are managed by Executive Hills Management. Company executives could not be reached for comment.
Reading these stories is free, but telling them is not. Start your monthly gift now to support Flatland’s community-focused reporting.
Related Stories
Restoration of Black church in Parkville inspires rainbow coalition
The community has rallied around the restoration of Parkville, Missouri's, Washington Chapel. Built in 1907, the chapel has been a haven for a Black population that has not always been welcome in town.
Nick’s Picks | Soccer, Elections, Entertainment and More …
It's a soccer extravaganza in Kansas City, with the city reaching its halfway point as a host city and the City Council set to consider a bond package to expand the Kansas City Current stadium.
Nick’s Picks | Fan Fest, Streetcar, Liquor and More …
World Cup Begins The wait is finally over. The first ball of the 2026 World Cup will be kicked Thursday, ushering in 5 ½ weeks of competition across the United States, Canada and Mexico. It’s also opening day for Kansas City’s FIFA Fan Fest at the National World War I Museum and Memorial—our first real…