CEO
BLP Insurance
Kim Vernau began her insurance career in 1986, joining Thomas Miller P&I after completing her qualification as a barrister. She became an area director for P&I claims, then went on to become the group internal auditor. In 2005, Vernau served as commercial director for Thomas Miller Investment before joining BLP as COO in 2008 and becoming CEO in 2012. When asked about the highlight in her career, Vernau mentions discovering “through a 360-degree process that I was seen as a role model elsewhere in the business, [which was] humbling and, at the same time, very gratifying”.
As a female CEO, Vernau has witnessed firsthand the industry’s efforts to diversify at the board level, though she acknowledges that a challenge remains: “Best practice on genderdiverse recruitment can be subverted by operational pressures to fill vacancies swiftly,” she says. She also feels many women can’t access key opportunities early on due to the nature of their networking, and need more practical support to elicit real engagement and cultural change.
Outside of insurance, Vernau serves as a non-executive director for an association that provides housing to working women of moderate means. She also sits on the Inspiring Women Committee for Coram, a charity devoted to helping people involved in adoptions.
