Peter Zaffino Saved AIG, Leaving Some Bruises Along the Way

Eric Andersen landed a job that most insurance executives would have long considered too good to be true: leading a strong AIG.

Thanks to a dramatic turnaround under his predecessor, Peter Zaffino, American International Group Inc. is no longer battling the regulatory headwinds and financial woes that tarnished the firm’s reputation earlier in the century.

But as Andersen, 61, takes over as chief executive officer Monday, he faces a different challenge: a bruised corporate culture.

Lauded in the industry for a hard-working ethos and attention to detail, Zaffino, 59, has also perturbed senior executives during his five-year tenure. ...