Market liaison and underwriting director
Lloyd’s Market Association
In 1996, Mel Goddard was appointed by QBE to run its first non-marine syndicate at Lloyd’s, thus making her the first female active underwriter in Lloyd’s 300-year history. Although others might consider that the highlight of her career, for Goddard, it’s about more than just achieving that milestone. “[It’s] having been true to myself, worked hard, let actions speak louder than words and stood for what I believed in,” she says.
Goddard’s experience led her to establish her own consultancy company, through which she has gained a considerable variety of work, both domestically and internationally. She continues to work in the Lloyd’s market today as market liaison, underwriting director and independent non-executive director of Apollo Syndicate Management at Lloyd’s.
Goddard recently spoke at the Women in Reinsurance Singapore’s International Women’s Day networking event, where she encouraged women in the industry to maximise what they have: “To all the women in the room, be glad that you are born into this era,” she said. “Have the confidence to approach work in a way that feels right to you. Don’t just play the game by the male rules, and you may not only find your way to the boardrooms, with equal pay, but also be able to shape the next stage of corporate life.”
