Ace announced yesterday that chairman Brian Duperreault, 59, will retire from the company on June 1. He will continue to serve Ace in the role of non-executive chairman of the Board of Directors.

Mr. Duperreault, a Bermudian, joined Ace in 1994 as chairman, president and chief executive officer following more than 25 years of service with American International Group. In May 2004, he presided over a management transition plan which saw Evan Greenberg take-over as Ace?s president and CEO while he remained chairman of the company. Mr.Greenberg noted in a statement yesterday that Mr. Duperreault transformed Ace from a Bermuda-based specialty writer into a global multi-line corporation.

During his 12 years at Ace, Mr. Duperreault directed a growth and diversification strategy marked by numerous acquisitions, including the 1999 acquisition of the global property and casualty operations of CIGNA Corporation.

?He leaves a legacy of extraordinary leadership and vision that is evidenced today by the company?s strength and vitality,? said Mr. Greenberg.

The company also announced the retirement from the board of Robert W. Staley, one of Ace?s original directors.

?Ace has benefited greatly from Bob?s leadership as Chairman of the Audit Committee, especially during the last two years. Ace has also benefited greatly from the strategic advice and counsel he has provided over the past two decades. Bob?s leadership and wise counsel will be sorely missed,? said Mr. Duperreault.

Mary A. Cirillo has been elected to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Ms Cirillo has served as an advisor to Hudson Venture Partners, a New York venture capital firm, since 2003 and as chairman of OPCENTER, a network operations services firm, from 2000-2004. The assignments Ms Cirillo has held in more than 25 years of financial services experience include chief executive officer of Global Institutional Services at Deutsche Bank, executive vice president and managing director of Bankers Trust Company and senior vice president, global relationship banking operations and technology, at Citibank. ?Mary has an impressive record of accomplishment in the financial services industry, and she has particular expertise with businesses that are based on leading operations and technology,? said Mr. Duperreault.