Regional director, South Central
US LLOYD’S OF LONDON
Years in the industry: 28
Enya He became an insurance major in college by fate and luck, and today she speaks passionately about how the industry transformed her from a girl growing up in a ghetto of China to living her “American dream.” This conviction not only compelled He to leave a tenured professorship to return to insurance, but it also fuels her active involvement in the industry’s diversity and inclusion efforts. She serves on the divisional board of the IICF, where she’s closely involved with the global Women in Insurance Conference Series. She also sits on the national steering committee for the Women’s Insurance Networking Group and has been an active voice in the Dive In Festival.
He identifies microaggressions, double standards, unconscious bias, lack of awareness of the opportunities in insurance, and a lack of meaningful mentoring and sponsorship as the main barriers to entry to the industry for people of color. To remedy this, she champions an industry-wide effort to “get the secret out” to colleges and high schools, especially those with a minority focus, and calls for more mentorship programs in conjunction with D&I.
“At the senior management level, D&I needs to be a priority in strategic planning and performance review processes, with both initiatives and accountability,” He says. “It’s also important to train to equip line managers with tools to embrace, incorporate and execute corporate D&I strategies.”
He believes the industry is at a critical crossroads, given its huge talent gap, but she remains optimistic in the collective strength of the industry. “If we all work together, we can rise to the challenge and make a better future for our children, our industry and our society.”
