While it’s important to highlight that insurance has a long way to go in its diversity push and in truly becoming a place where people of different ethnic backgrounds feel comfortable working, it’s arguably just as important to recognise those who have broken through to reach the top of the profession already. Thankfully, there are many that are flying that flag and inspiring others – and now a handful have been celebrated for their achievements.
In the latest EMpower Top 100, a host of insurance executives were included as ethnic minority executive role models.
Included on the list at number 22, was Chika Aghadiuno, group enterprise and operational risk director at Aviva, who acts as a co-sponsor for the Aviva BAME Network and has been a lead on inclusion for the Aviva Global Risk Function. Aghadiuno was noted for spearheading diversity and inclusion initiatives outside Aviva and helping young people from less advantaged and minority backgrounds.
Also making the list was Maxine Goddard, head of sales operations and planning at Zurich Insurance UK, who came in at number 62. She is known not only for chairing the Zurich Cultural Awareness Network, but also for sitting on the executive committee of the Insurance Cultural Awareness Network. Meanwhile, Jaya Handa, privacy director at Liberty Specialty Markets, was listed at number 87, and was noted for chairing the Cultural Awareness Matters network at the firm and for setting up and sitting on the committee of the Junior Lawyers Group of the Black Solicitors Network.
Several insurance names also made the list of the Top 100 ethnic minority future leader role models. These included Mary Alade, chief strategy officer of Aon, who came in at number 37; Sonia Janday, senior legal counsel and Aviva Origins co-chair, at number 38; Arzu Ozdemir, human resources analyst and co-director of partnerships, for AIG & Diverse Influencers, at number 42; Ajay Mistry, partnerships director, BHIB Insurance Brokers & Brokerbility, at number 52; Arit Amana, deputy company secretary at Chubb Europe, in at number 96; while Anna Dilku, British Red Cross partnership manager at Aviva, took position number 99.
Meanwhile, two names also made it on to the EMpower Top 20 Advocate Executive Role Models 2020. Taking the number two position was David Hynam, CEO of Bupa Global and UK who launched “Be You at Bupa”. Meanwhile, Dominic Christian, global chairman of reinsurance solutions at Aon, took the fifth spot on the list – he chairs the Diversity Council which manages the company’s approach to D&I.
