“When I first entered the industry in the early 1980s, it was very male dominated with a culture that did not lend itself well to the advancement of women.”


Name: Tracey Gibbons


Company: Allied World Assurance Company Job:


Senior vice president, specialty reinsurance


Timeline: 2003—Senior vice president, specialty reinsurance, Allied World Assurance company


1999—Senior vice president, underwriting, Overseas Partners 1994—Vice president insurance, Highland Fidelity 1991—Manager of underwriting services, International Advisory Services Ltd. 1989—Senior insurance officer, Johnson and Higgins 1986—Insurance manager, Freisenbruch— Meyer Insurance Services


1983—Sales and underwriting assistant, Lombard Continental Insurance


Tracey Gibbons is a highly respected senior underwriter and manager with over 31 years’ experience in multiple classes of business in the US, Canada, Latin America, Asia and Europe as well as extensive experience building profitable books of business and highly motivated and successful teams. Gibbons is regarded as responsive, innovative and knowledgeable.


Given her broad based underwriting background (and having worked in many areas of the business across multiple lines), she has the ability to be creative and insightful in her approach to new business ideas or changes in the marketplace—looking for opportunities to understand risk and construct appropriate coverages in areas outside of the standard offerings. Her in- depth experience, wide-ranging perspective and willingness to think “outside of the box” make her the first call for brokers with unique challenges to address. She’s also a role model for women in insurance everywhere,


having joined the industry when there were few women underwriters and fewer women in senior positions, her


www.intelligentinsurer.com


perseverance, hard work and accomplishments have paved the way for the women entering the industry today. In order to help foster the next generation of women, Gibbons frequently mentors up-and-coming executives and works closely with the Bermuda Foundation for Insurance Studies giving advice and guidance to students wanting to enter the insurance industry.


Why did you choose to work in this industry initially? Having completed a joint BA (Hons) degree in Economics and Economic and Social History, I was looking for a career that would allow me to utilise the analytical and business skills that I had developed during my years at University. The world of insurance seemed to offer many areas where I could use these skills and on the surface seemed a lot sexier than a career in either law or accounting, which were the other areas I was considering at the time. At the beginning of my career, I learned the basics of the


business underwriting direct insurance. Subsequently through a combination of many long hours, taking advantage of opportunities as they presented themselves, honing my people skills and getting to understand my own strengths and weaknesses I eventually found myself in the reinsurance market where I have been for the past 16 years. My broad based background and experience (having worked in insurance, reinsurance and captive management) enables me to be innovative and creative drawing on my past experiences in many areas outside of my current domain. This often enables me to see creative solutions to problems which are perhaps not so apparent to others.


What has been the highlight of your career so far? I joined Allied World 12 years ago when it was a fledgling company. To have seen it grow into the successful international company that it is today and to know that I played a meaningful part in that


transformation gives me a great sense of satisfaction and


achievement. What has been


the biggest challenge you have


encountered? When I first entered the industry in the early 1980s, it was very male dominated with a culture that did not lend itself well to the advancement of women. The industry was outdated in its outlook and the way it approached the day to day transaction of business. It was also a time of tremendous change in the way business was conducted and in overall attitudes.


2015 | INTELLIGENT INSURER | 47


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