COLUMBUS, GA: Aflac has promoted Ines Rodriguez Gutzmer to SVP and chief communications officer, effective January 1.
Reporting to Aflac EVP and general counsel Audrey Tillman, Gutzmer is also working closely with CEO Daniel Amos.
Gutzmer is spearheading the company’s corporate function, overseeing public and media relations; executive, employee and sales comms; crisis management; and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Gutzmer has succeeded Catherine Blades, who exited the insurance company in January 2021 and then joined Science Applications International Corporation as SVP of marketing and comms.
A Latina herself, Gutzmer said she and her team are working to make a “bigger splash” in the Hispanic market.
“Coming from that demographic, I know the [the community’s] fears and needs. We can deliver more knowledge about what we offer and help to close the gap for this particular segment,” she said, adding that Aflac is searching for a Hispanic-focused PR agency.
Aflac works with Ketchum, its U.S. PR AOR, as well as KWI Communications.
Gutzmer previously served as Aflac’s VP of strategic comms. She said the organization may explore replacing her in that role in the future, but that there are no immediate plans to do so.
Before nearly four years at Aflac, Gutzmer was SVP and global head of corporate communications and brand at Equifax, a global data, analytics and technology company. She also held senior leadership roles at agencies such as Acxiom, Ketchum, BCW and Ogilvy.
Aflac’s revenue dropped 8% to $4.8 billion in Q3 2022. Net earnings were $1.6 billion in the period, up 79.7% from the prior year.
