BEST INSURENCES 2022

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
Methodology

Insurance Business UK invited insurance professionals from across the region to nominate exceptional female leaders for the fourth Elite Women list. Nominees had to be working in a role that related to, interacted with or in some way impacted the insurance industry. They must also have demonstrated a clear passion for their profession.  

Nominators were asked to describe the nominee’s standout professional achievements over the past 12 months, along with their contributions to diversity and inclusion in the industry and how they’ve given back through volunteer roles and charity work. Recommendations from managers and senior industry professionals were also considered.

The IBUK team reviewed all nominations, examining how each individual had made a meaningful contribution to the industry, to narrow down the list to the final 63 Elite Women.