Mr. Storm is the retired Chairman of the Executive Board of AEGON N. V., Netherlands, a post he held from 1993 to 2001. AEGON is the holding company of the one of the world's largest listed insurance groups, offering a diverse portfolio of products, principally in the life insurance, pensions and related savings and investment products, but also in accident health and general insurance. AEGON has three major markets: the Americas, Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The group is also present in a number of other countries, including Hungary, Spain, France, Slovakia, Taiwan and China.
During his tenure, Kees Storm was a major force in developing the Dutch company into an international powerhouse. He started his career in the insurance industry in 1978, when he joined the Dutch mutual insurance company AGO as a member its management team. In that capacity he was closely involved in the merger of AGO and the listed Dutch insurance company Ennia into AEGON in 1983.
Under his aspiring and creative leadership, AEGON achieved strong growth throughout the world, becoming an international company through autonomous growth but also through acquisitions, such as with Providian Corporation, Transamerica Corporation, the direct marketing services of J. C. Penney in the United States and Guardian Royal Exchange in the united Kingdom. Under Kees Storm's personal efforts, AEGON received a license from the Chinese government to start life insurance activities in China.
Mr. Storm is noted for his charismatic leadership and management skills. He wrote a small volume called "Management with a Smile." And has said that he is convinced that pleasure and job involvement can go hand in hand. Other attributes of the Storm approach to leadership included traveling to every office, reaching out and meeting people and always respecting individuality. His motto which helped create AEGON's success was: "Respect People, Make Money, Have Fun."