Empower Talks - Insurance Careers

In this inspiring episode of Empower Talks , we’re joined by Chris Hanks, former General Manager of Allianz Commercial, past President of the Chartered Insurance Institute, and former Chair of Liberty Specialty Markets—where he also first met our host, Sam. Chris has also served as a Chairman and Non-Executive Director across several organisations, bringing strategic guidance and leadership at boa...

Sam talks with Ethan Godlieb, Cyber & Tech E&O Broker at Aon and BIBA Young Broker of the Year, about his journey into the insurance industry and his career progression. Beginning his career on Aon’s apprenticeship programme, Ethan reflects on starting in a regional office, the importance of building relationships, and the deliberate steps he took to transition into the London market. He s...

Sam talks with Bamishe Alao, an emerging leader in the insurance industry, about her strategies for attracting graduates to the field. Starting her career on the WTW CRB graduate programme, Bamishe reflects on the initial challenges she faced, the balance of priorities, and the evolution of her networking skills. She credits much of her early success to mentorship and discusses the substantial ben...

Sam talks to Phill Bratt, Partner at Keoghs London, about his specialisation in catastrophic personal injury law and his role in defending high-value personal injury claims. The episode addresses the evolving nature of legal careers, focusing on the importance of personal relationships and professional exposure. Phill provides key insights into the Ogden tables, emphasising their critical role in...

In this episode of Empower Talks, Sam talks to Alina Schatten (née Jipa), who, at the time of recording was Chief of Staff to the CEO, but has recently accepted the position of Integration Director at RSA UK&I. Sam and Alina discuss her career in the insurance industry, which is a compelling example of adaptability, strategic career advancement, and the value of lifelong learning. Beginning he...

In this episode, Sam chats with Lorraine Harfitt, CEO at Asta, about her diverse career journey in the insurance industry. Lorraine shares her path from Lloyd's of London to becoming CEO at Asta, discussing her roles at Lloyd's, including insights into her involvement in the Solvency II work stream. Lorraine talks about the challenges of her career, the importance of adaptability, and the role of...

In this episode, Sam talks with Pritesh Thakrar, a Portfolio Analyst at Inver Re. Their conversation explores Pritesh's career journey from medicinal chemistry to his current role in insurance, including his involvement in the 'New Gen Project' initiative, which focused on creating internships for autistic individuals. They also reflect on the evolution of his career and how his diverse experience...

Sam talks to Grace Maxted FCII, a pivotal associate and key creative force at Empower Development. Grace's significant impact is particularly evident in our online courses, yet her influence extends much further.   Sam and Grace discuss her unique career, intertwining insurance and theatre, and reminisce about their initial collaborations at Empower Development. Additionally, they highlight s...

In this episode, Amy Brettell shares her unconventional career journey with Sam. Having started as an Actuary within Zurich's graduate program, Amy moved across various roles within the organisation, including the mysterious Chief of Staff position, Head of Customer in UK Claims Role, and lead the digital transformation in claims at Zurich. Amy has recently stepped into her dream job as Managing D...

In this episode, Sam chats with Beth Amaro, an experienced HR professional from the insurance sector. Beth spent seven years in Bermuda before an opportunity led her to London to progress her career in the insurance sector. Until recently, Beth worked as Head of HR at Fidelis. She has now started her own independent consultancy firm, advising companies on their HR needs. This shift has led to an i...

Sam sits down with Megan and Felicity, both participants in the Zurich graduate scheme, who are also the creative minds behind the TikTok page ‘The Life Of A Grad’. With over 10,000 likes, the duo aims to challenge prevailing insurance stereotypes and promote the potential of insurance careers to young professionals. Through ‘The Life Of A Grad’, they also document their own career journey, offeri...

Sam talks with Guy Munnoch, Managing Director of Rupert Morgan, about his exceptional career trajectory, shaped by 21-year milestones, moving from the British Army to the insurance world and beyond. With over four decades of diverse experiences, Guy's journey is nothing short of impressive. Delving into the early stages of his career, Guy underscores the importance of the lessons he learned in his...

Sam talks with Joanna Hitchcock, Underwriting Manager at AIG about her exceptional career path, marked by five promotions in seven years, her ventures in international roles, and her fearless approach to stepping out of her comfort zone. With less than a decade in the insurance industry, Joanna's rise to success is impressive. Uncover the key factors driving her achievements, from her unwavering d...

Sam talks with Mike Burle, Head of Marine & Deputy Active Underwriter at Liberty Specialty Markets, in an engaging conversation that explores various aspects of the insurance industry. With 30 years of experience, Mike brings a wealth of knowledge and insights to the discussion. Beginning the conversation, Sam delves into Mike's journey and how he entered the insurance field. They uncover some...

This is a special edition of Empower Talks, featuring our Client Solutions Manager, Claire Shepherd, in the interviewer's seat as she chats with Sam about the latest news and updates from Empower Development. In this episode, Sam reflects on the company's most exciting successes since their last podcast 12 months ago and shares some hopes and goals for the future. Listeners can expect to hear Sam...

Sam sits down with Tosin Falope, a Senior Training Consultant and the newest member of the Empower Development team, to discuss her career journey and her perspective on the insurance industry. With a background in fashion and data science, as well as a strong interest in psychology and DE&I, Tosin shares her first impressions of the industry, highlighting the diversity of its culture and the...

On this episode of Empower Talks, recorded on 26th October 2022, Sam talks with Employment Lawyer and friend, Deborah Margolis about chess club and ‘quiet quitting’ (mostly ‘quiet quitting’ – sorry chess fans!). Throughout the chat Sam & Deborah find themselves looking at the topic from an assortment of angles, dissecting what they think motivates someone to decide to ‘quiet quit’, and then sh...

Sam talks with Claire Davey (aka Cyber Claire) about her move from the corporate world, back to academia. During this transition Claire founded her own business as a Cyber Security & Risk Management Specialist & Trainer and tells how she has managed to juggle a full time PhD with the demands of a full-time entrepreneurial business. Claire’s love of learning has seen her amass a host o...

Sam talks with Hayley Budd about their time working together at Liberty and Hayley’s journey into the ‘clandestine world of innovation’. Hayley built her own niche career to follow her passion and shares how she created a movement and innovation community within her organisation alongside her day job. She discusses how she took the work she was doing ‘off the side of her desk’ into a role as a Bus...

Sam talks with talent and recruitment authority Simon Evans about the challenges of attracting and retaining talent to the insurance industry. Sam and Simon tackle the complex issue of the ‘War for talent’, looking at how and why it has impacted the industry, what is being done about it, and what can be done to bridge the current skills gap. Simon shares with Sam what he has learnt on his journey...

Sam talks to self-starter, Yasmin Carter-Esdale about their shared passion of engaging young talent and encouraging them into the Insurance profession. Yasmin entered insurance at the age of 17 and her journey from Motor Risk Call Centre to Development Underwriter at Hiscox (as well as CII Columnist, DEI Thought Contributor & Partnership’s lead at ican) has given her a unique insight into how...

Sam talks to Insurance Innovator Paolo Cuomo about his journey from management consultant to his role working with the Analytics & Advisory Team at Gallagher Re. Sam and Paolo first met at The Worshipful Company of Insurers (WCI) and discuss the philanthropic possibilities presented by the organisation, specifically Paolo’s association with iWIN – The insurance women's inclusivity network. Pao...

With 40 years in the market, Nick is a true industry veteran. In this podcast, Sam and Nick have a wide-ranging conversation covering topics such as the role of insurance as an enabler of businesses, how to forge a career in ESG and why the decline of paper bundles might have contributed to a rise in gym memberships for the city's brokers! Sam and Nick also discuss the Worshipful Company of I...

In this podcast, we're delighted to be joined by Nick Kirk. Nick has lived and worked on three continents during his long and eventful Insurance career and now serves as a non-executive director for two insurance companies in London. During this conversation, Nick shares insights and advice from his experience moving from office junior to CEO (via a number of roles and countries!) as well as how t...

In this podcast, Sam catches up with Lydia, a graduate at Allianz. Lydia gives us an insight into insurance careers from the perspective of someone applying for graduate roles in the market. They discuss the impressions employers can make during (and even before!) the recruitment process as well as the benefit of placement years to organisations and individuals alike. Finally, they talk...