Dec 3, 2021
Lisa Davis is President and Chief Underwriting Officer at Canopius Group. Lisa has worked in the industry for more than 25 years and began her career as a construction underwriter. Today, Lisa talks about how many emerging opportunities there are for young professionals that she did not have access to when she first got started, how the industry has changed for the better over the decades, and what insurance professionals need to keep an eye out for as we progress into this fast-paced future.
Key Takeaways
- How did Lisa get into underwriting and risk management?
- Lisa does a lot of underwriting within the U.S., but the ownership comes from outside of the U.S. and needs a multinational risk management perspective. How is this different from more “traditional” or regional U.S. underwriting positions?
- What kind of cultural differences has Lisa run into?
- Lisa is very fortunate to have had really strong female mentors in her life that have pushed her forward in her career.
- Embrace your personal brand. It doesn’t matter what age you are, it can be used as a huge benefit to your career, going forward.
- Lisa believes the industry has gotten better when it comes to promoting diverse people from within, but there’s still some room for improvement.
- There are more opportunities than ever in the insurance industry. The world is rapidly changing and people still need insurance.
- What things are Lisa seeing differently now that she is in a C-suite position?
- Things are moving so fast that within five years, certain things will be seen as old-fashioned. Lisa shares her thoughts on what we need to do to better prepare for the future.
- What does Lisa wish she had learned sooner about her career and the industry?
Keep Getting Better
Quotes
“You’re underwriting risk for the U.S., but you’re thinking about it with a multinational hat and that gives you the ability as an underwriter to help you think about things differently.”
“It’s important for people to understand that having a personal brand that is somewhat different from what the younger folks are working with, can really be used as a benefit to yourself and the company you’re working for.”
“Insurance is something that everyone needs and as we are moving more into remote working, there are so many opportunities now for young folks to get in the industry.”