Gary Shaughnessy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2015 while working for Zurich Insurance. He was appointed CEO of Zurich’s European business, before stepping down in 2019.

The honour has been awarded for his contributions to business and charity, recognising both his career and the roles he has taken on since. Gary joined our board in 2018, becoming chair in October 2019. He also chairs the board of the Z Zurich Foundation, Zurich’s charitable arm.

With Parkinson’s UK, Gary was instrumental in stewarding the charity through the pandemic to make sure that our work continued and support remained available for those who needed it. Gary has also taken on many physical challenges to raise awareness and funds totalling over £500,000 to date, split between Parkinson’s UK and Z Zurich Foundation.