Christopher J. Swift, Bus Ad ’83, was elected to the Marquette University Board of Trustees in 2017.

He is chairman and CEO of The Hartford, a national leader in property and casualty insurance, group benefits and mutual funds. Named CEO in 2014, he was the driving force in the company’s transformation, resulting in a more focused, disciplined leader in property and casualty, group benefits and mutual funds. He expanded the company’s capabilities and geographic reach through organic growth and strategic investments, including the purchase of Aetna’s U.S. group life and disability business in 2017 and The Navigators Group Inc., a specialty lines property and casualty business, in 2019. He also completed the company’s exit from the runoff life and annuity business, providing greater financial flexibility and improving The Hartford’s return on equity and earnings growth profile.

As a long-time advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), Swift is the foremost champion of The Hartford’s DEI initiatives, resulting in the company’s leading board diversity, improved executive representation and top-ranked company culture. The company is a 2023 Catalyst Award winner, listed on the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index and was named as a 2022 Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. In addition to his leadership within The Hartford, Swift has promoted DEI within the broader business community. He was an early signatory to the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Pledge and serves on the Governing Committee for its Racial Equity Fellowship initiative. He is also a Catalyst CEO Champion for Change and has signed on to Paradigm for Parity, a coalition of business leaders committed to achieving gender parity at leadership levels by 2030.

Swift has been on the forefront of CEOs discussing the need for public-private partnerships to address mental health and addiction in the workplace. In addition, Swift is committed to making an impact on important issues, serving on many boards where he can make a difference. He serves on the board of directors for Citizens Financial Group Inc., and the executive committee and the board of directors of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association. He also is a member of The Business Council, Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, Council on Foreign Relations, and The Geneva Association.

Swift joined The Hartford in March 2010 as executive vice president and chief financial officer. Previously, he held senior leadership and finance roles at American International Group (AIG). He began his career as a certified public accountant at KPMG LLP focused on financial services and was eventually appointed head of the Global Insurance Industry Practice.

Swift is a member of the Marquette University Archbishop Henni Founders Society and the Marquette University President’s Society.