Opinion
Belonging in insurance after maternity leave and beyond
After returning from maternity leave, Cheryl Barker, customer experience manager at Charles Taylor Assistance, found flexibility, trust, and recognition were key not only to rediscovering her own sense of belonging—but to creating it for her team and…
How Acies’s Taylor found a way to speak her truth
Neurodivergent and navigating the insurance industry, Caroline Taylor, COO of Acies MGU, shares how simple acts of respect shaped her sense of belonging and why silence is the sector's greatest threat to creating an inclusive culture.
Crawford’s Brentnall on superpower of neurodivergent minds
Neurodivergence isn’t a barrier for Mollie Brentnall, UK & Ireland director of IT at Crawford & Company, it’s a superpower that she is using to build environments where minds like hers aren’t just accommodated but empowered.
How a remark fuelled RSA Mani’s rise with resilience and purpose
How being told to “go back to where she came from” fuelled Indhira Mani, RSA's chief data officer, to work harder, stayed true to my values, and build a career rooted in resilience, growth, and purpose.
Hive’s Marsland-Roberts finds belonging where values align
Crispin Marsland-Roberts, chief operating officer of Hive, on how dyslexia is his superpower and why insurance needs to break away from the idea that success has a single profile.
Zurich’s Ahmad on how flexibility fosters faith belonging
Madiha Ahmad, senior data engineer at Zurich, shares how support for her faith and flexible policies have helped her feel truly valued and included.
Howden’s Caamaño on moving from outsider to leader
From outsider to executive, Sonia Caamaño, CEO of international growth markets at Howden Broking, shares how she built a global career on resilience, empathy, and following her mother’s advice.
Reclaiming Pride: Ageas’s Roche’s shift from exclusion to inclusion
From teenage exclusion to leading an LGBTQ+ resource group, the journey of Lloyd Roche, risk and governance underwriter at Ageas, shows how workplaces can become spaces of growth, pride, and lasting change.
CII’s Cameron aims to keep running without dropping baton
Vivine Cameron, equity, diversity and inclusion manager at the Chartered Insurance Institute, reflects on the importance of visualisation and representation and why it is vital not to drop the baton of authentic inclusion or you risk losing the race.
Sedgwick’s Dartford on belonging as an LGBTQ+ woman in insurance
With 20 years in male-dominated sectors, Charlotte Dartford, regional director of marketing for UK and Asia at Sedgwick, shares how an inclusive culture empowered her to lead authentically and be seen.
From struggle to pride: RSA’s Dainty’s journey
Being gay with ADHD made Drew Dainty, claims expenses team leader at RSA, feel like every day of his young life he was swimming against the current - until he joined the insurer and felt celebrated rather than tolerated.
Admiral’s Wilkie champions social mobility through her rise
Helen Wilkie, projects and events lead at Admiral, shares how grit, growth, and company support helped her rise from entry-level to leadership.
McLarens’ Alcock on how belonging is about being empowered
Kim Alcock, head of UK casualty at McLarens, considers how belonging means creating pathways, removing barriers, and empowering women to thrive and progress in insurance careers.
Axa’s Scott on battling imposter syndrome in insurance
Suzanne Scott, chief people and corporate responsibility officer at Axa UK & Ireland, reflects on how an inclusive culture can help individuals overcome imposter syndrome and opens doors for all in insurance – not just the elite.
IGI’s Jaber on the blessing of being an office nomad
Returning to work in her forties, moving from desk to desk in an open plan office, was at first bewildering but her time as the ‘office nomad’ helped Aaida Abu Jaber, specialist commercial insurer and reinsurer IGI’s assistant vice president of PR &…
How Zurich helped me understand how my mind works
Richard Kirkham, assistant sales manager at Zurich Municipal, shares how being diagnosed autistic, dyslexic and ADHD led to life-changing support and a renewed sense of self at work.
Insurers still struggling to convert cyber awareness to sales
News Editor’s View: Research from FWD shows that while some insurers are excelling at turning awareness of cyber insurance into sales, others continue to struggle with both awareness and conversion.
Insurers’ private market push faces a data reckoning
As insurers ramp up allocations to private markets, data complexity and opacity are creating serious challenges, writes Ben Cluny, head of EMEA sales at platform provider Accelex, who warns without greater transparency, firms risk undermining the very…
Will AI make brokers more efficient or less relevant?
Trade Voice: Stefan Daines, broking director at Daines Kapp and member of the CII Community Broking Board, looks at how artificial intelligence can help brokers and the practical steps they take.
Why Kafka-length insurance policies need to go
Editor’s View: Fresh from a summer break, Emma Ann Hughes returns to an inbox brimming with industry news and a stark reminder from Fairer Finance that, two years on from Consumer Duty, insurance documents remain as impenetrable as a Kafka novel.
Why insurance belongs at the heart of the carbon transition
View from the Top: George Beattie, head of innovation at CFC, explains how insurance was the lynchpin of a landmark multimillion carbon credit deal.
Parents hold the key to fighting motor insurance fraud
Educating children on insurance fraud helps protect future drivers, argues Kevin Perkins, head of defence at Carpenters Group, who also urges parents to avoid mis-steps like fronting.
ABI gears up for winter storm season
Trade Voice: Mark Shepherd, head of general insurance policy at the Association of British Insurers, sets out how greater resilience and understanding can help customers weather stormy weather.
Why it’s time to rethink what adequate cybersecurity looks like
Johnty Mongan, global head of cyber risk management at Gallagher, argues prevention is the best cure and urges organisations to raise their cybersecurity standards.