Elite Women 2022

“I think that whilst the past year has been challenging for all, there is a shift in the insurance industry to get more women in senior leadership roles than there has been in the past”
Nousheen Hassan, Innovative Risk & Audit Solutions

Progress amidst challenges 

“I think that whilst the past year has been challenging for all, there is definitely more of a shift in the insurance industry to get more women in senior leadership roles than there has been in the past,” says Nousheen Hassan, director at Innovative Risk & Audit Solutions and one of this year’s Elite Women. The business owner and full-time working mother says that “the emphasis on diversity and inclusion in general across the globe and a push from local regulators has meant that firms are now realising that more women need to be in leadership positions, and they need to actively demonstrate this”. In addition, she says, new hybrid working situations help facilitate childcare arrangements for both women and men.

Another winner is Melissa Collett, professional standards director at the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), and a strong advocate for transparency in insurance. Collett agrees with Hassan’s assessment of women taking on more senior roles. “At the CII, we even had a period recently when our president, chair and CEO were all women. Given that there were previously only a handful of female past presidents of CII and no previous female CEOs, this is a real milestone for the profession,” she says.  

However, women are still underrepresented at the executive level of the largest companies. To address this, the 25x25 organisation is focused on increasing the number of female CEOs to 25 by 2025 at FTSE 100 companies, and the 30% Club has made major advancements at large UK companies. 

Another winner, Donna Scully, is joint owner and director at Carpenters Group. She left school at 16, moved from Dublin, Ireland to England at 20 without a job and – although she had no degree – attended night school to study law and qualify as a solicitor in 1995. She agrees that when it comes to equality, there’s still a lot of ground to cover. “Gender parity is still very much an issue and it’s important that we keep this at the forefront of our agenda,” she says. “There is no doubt that formal and informal sponsorship programmes to address unconscious bias are great ways of doing this, but we also need to inspire our future women leaders and more importantly, open the minds of those making the decisions.”

“It is only with determination and confidence that more women will succeed in achieving the senior ranks of the profession”
Melissa Collett, Chartered Insurance Institute

The qualities of an Elite Woman 

Contributions to DE&I and volunteer and charity work were essential criteria in the Elite Women competition this year.  

For Hassan, that means working with iCAN and the Women in Insurance Network and participating in Dive In, the festival for diversity and inclusion in insurance. She was also a member of the QBE committee that promoted women’s participation across the business in risk and compliance. As a volunteer, she has worked with iEngage and the Commonwealth Business Women’s network as well as informally and formally coached individuals in teams which she has managed or been affiliated with. She has also served as chair of a youth charity board.  

Meanwhile, Collett says, “I greatly enjoyed being a volunteer mentor of the 30% Club. I am also proud to be a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Insurers, which promotes professionalism, fellowship and philanthropy within the insurance sector and beyond. It has hitherto had few female members, but through the efforts of a number of women – and men – in the livery company, female membership has grown to around 25% of the total.”  

Scully has always been focused on DE&I and done significant work in the local community and with charities over the years. “More recently, a lot my focus has been in the business, weaving our D&I priorities into our culture, benefits, pay, and workplace policies, and of course, this all overlaps into the communities in which we operate,” she says. “I am well aware of the clear link between diverse talent and improved business results, but supporting a DE&I agenda is important to me because I know it’s the right thing to do.” 

Furthermore, she volunteers at a local homelessness and foodbank charity, helps local schools with kids from disadvantaged backgrounds and has worked with mental health charities as well. “Supporting grassroots charities is incredibly important to me, whether that be volunteering, fundraising or through donations,” she says. “This sentiment also runs through my business and our people. I am really conscious of how badly COVID has impacted charities and am constantly looking at ways to better support them.”  

“My advice is to not live your life looking to win awards. Live it being your true self, fighting for what you believe in, and doing your very best at all times”
Donna Scully, Carpenters Group

Encouraging words

In addition to celebrating the industry’s female leaders, the Elite Women awards seek to inspire other women to do their best. What do this year’s winners have to say to other women in the profession? 

“Go out and do something different,” says Hassan. “Don’t be afraid to put yourself forward for initiatives and do not underestimate how capable you are. You can bring a different perspective to ideas, teams, leadership roles and so it’s about being confident and facilitating the shift through your own actions. Have the confidence and believe in yourself. You can do absolutely anything you want if you truly put your mind to it.” 

Collett agrees with that sentiment. “I would definitely say, ‘Go for it!’” she says. “It is only with determination and confidence that more women will succeed in achieving the senior ranks of the profession.” 

Meanwhile, Scully has a slightly different take. “My advice is to not live your life looking to win awards,” she says. “Live it being your true self, fighting for what you believe in and doing your very best at all times. I was taught very early on in life to treat others as you wish to be treated – a simple but great mantra. I hope that I have been chosen because of the good I bring to the table, for being a mindful human being and not because I had a desire to be perceived in a particular way.” 

Elite Women 2022

• 
  Lisa Bartlett
  President, UK & Ireland
  Crawford & Company
   
  
• 
  Maxine Goddard
  Senior vice president, strategic distribution & development
  Sompo International
   
  
• 
  Sharon Brown
  Managing director
  Harbour Underwriting
   
  
• 
  Claire McDonald
  Member of the board
  HDI Global SE
   
  
• 
  Donna Scully
  Director
  Carpenters Group
   
  
• 
  Kishan Mangat
  Senior associate
  DWF LLP
   
  

• Alison Martin 
  CEO EMEA and bank distribution 
  Zurich Insurance Group 
• Amanda Burnell 
  Senior underwriter, professional lines 
  Liberty Specialty Markets 
• Amanda Blanc 
  Group CEO 
  Aviva 
• Carol Richmond 
  Chief risk officer 
  Gallagher
• Caroline Rankin 
  Head of internal audit 
  CNA Hardy 
• Caroline Wagstaff 
  Interim CEO  
  London Market Group 
• Cécile Fresneau 
  Managing director, insurance division 
  QBE European Operations 
• Claire Weston 
  Head of GLISE UK Branch  
  CEO of Great Lakes UK Services 
  Munich Re 
• Clare Talbot-Jones 
  Business development director 
  Talbot Jones 
• Emma Pearce 
  Underwriting manager, UK and Ireland commercial D&O 
  Liberty Specialty Markets
• Heather McMillan 
  Executive adjuster 
  McLarens 
• Helen Faulkner 
  Head of insurance 
  DAC Beachcroft 
• Jackie Hyde 
  Managing director 
  Stanmore Insurance Brokers
• Janthana Kaenprakhamroy 
  Chief executive officer  
  Tapoly 
• Jaya Handa 
  Privacy director  
  Liberty Specialty Markets
• Jen Rigby 
  Chief operations officer  
  Lloyd’s 
• Jessica Kirby 
  Head of commercial management liability insurance, UK 
  Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance 
• Julia Graham 
  Chief executive officer  
  Airmic (Association for Insurance & Risk) 
• Julie Rayson-Flynn 
  Director  
  Brokerbility 
• Kate Markham 
  CEO 
  Hiscox London Markets
• Katherine Letsinger 
  Group CFO 
  HCC Insurance Holdings 
• Katie Davies 
  Head of underwriting services  
  Ageas UK 
• Kay White 
  CEO 
  Way Forward Solutions 
• Kelly Whittington 
  Director of property claims  
  Aviva UK 
• Kirsten Shastri 
  Life sciences underwriter  
  Beazley 
• Laura Scarpa 
  Partner 
  Deloitte UK 
• Laurel Tang 
  Senior vice president 
  Guy Carpenter (UK) 
• Lindsey Nelson 
  Cyber development leader  
  CFC Underwriting 
• Liz Tubb  
  Group general counsel  
  McLarens
• Louise Flood 
  Risk practices consultant and vice president 
  Lockton Companies 
• Lynne Farrage 
  Partner, colleague experience  
  McGill and Partners 
• Marie-Soazic Geffroy 
  Head of European financial institutions group  
  Perella Weinberg Partners 
• Mary Bowie  
  Senior legal counsel  
  Miller 
• Melissa Collett 
  Professional standards director 
  Chartered Insurance Institute 
• Michelle Taylor 
  UK head of sales and distribution, retail 
  Zurich Insurance Company 
• Milena Mondini 
  Group CEO 
  Admiral Group 
• Natalie Graham 
  SVP, head of claims 
  Mosaic Insurance 
• Nicola Maguire 
  Head of commercial 
  British Insurance Brokers’ Association 
• Nousheen Hassan 
  Director 
  Innovative Risk Audit 
• Penny James 
  CEO 
  Direct Line Group 
• Philippa Cutler 
  Managing director 
  Pyke Smith & Cutler
• Rachel Skelton 
  Engineering experience and community lead 
  Covéa Insurance 
• Sabina Kravcak 
  Head of strategy 
  AXA 
• Sally Lake 
  Chief finance officer 
  Beazley 
• Sam White 
  CEO and founder 
  Freedom Group - Homelyfe - Stella
• Sara Fardon 
  Managing director 
  Willis Towers Watson Networks
• Sarah Pearson 
  Head of enterprise risk management 
  Ecclesiastical Insurance Group 
• Sarah Dalgarno 
  Chief risk officer 
  The Ardonagh Group 
• Sharon Green 
  Executive accountant/adjuster 
  McLarens 
• Sharon Glynn 
  Senior development underwriter, bond and specialty 
  Travelers 
• Sian Fisher 
  (Outgoing) CEO 
  Chartered Insurance Institute 
• Stefania Davi-Greer 
  Regional head of financial lines 
  Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty 
• Sue Jakobek 
  CEO 
  Placing Platform 
• Suzanne Kearney 
  COO 
  Ergo UK Specialty
• Tracy Blackwell 
  CEO 
  Pension Insurance Corporation
• Vanisha Patel 
  Business manager, specialty UK & Lloyd’s 
  Co-chair of RISE UK 
  AXA XL 
• Victoria Romero-Trigo 
  Director 
  NDML