100 influential women in re/insurance
international company. I came to the UK to perfect my English and to complete my bachelor’s degree in French with the aim to also study towards a master’s degree in international business. My studies required several internships and I accepted a placement at a major reinsurance broker in London. I split my time between the UK non-marine broking team and the research & development (now analytics) team. This opportunity convinced me that my professional career was to be in London.
Name: Dorothée Mélis-Moutafis
Company: Guy Carpenter Job:
Managing director, Property Solutions Group
Timeline: 2013—Managing director, Property Solutions Group, Guy Carpenter 2012—Executive director, board member of Willis Re France & Willis Re Iberia 2005—Executive director, head of London desks for France and Iberia, Willis Re 2001—Divisional director, head of London desks for Iberia and Southern Europe, Willis Re 1998—Broker, Willis Re
Dorothée Mélis-Moutafis is a managing director in the Property Solutions Group (PSG) at Guy Carpenter covering a wide range of European countries stretching from France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal to Greece and Turkey. Fluent in four languages, she brings strong interpersonal, management and placement skills as she leads several multicultural teams working across large multinational clients. She has 17 years in the industry, producing and broking non-marine international treaty reinsurance business. She has already successfully led or co-led a number of successful tenders and initiatives across the EMEA region since joining Guy Carpenter from Willis, where she worked for 15 years. Combining her European expertise with a London location, Mélis-Moutafis has also promoted more integrated and wider team- based working relationships across the company’s European office network, as demonstrated by leading the firm’s Model Suitability Analysis initiative for earthquake in Portugal by translating the technical knowledge and expertise for clients and reinsurers. As part of the PSG, she has also been responsible for providing local teams with access to the wider global insurance-linked securities market and assessing this as an alternative to more traditional capacity.
Why did you choose to work in this industry initially? Having grown up in France, my initial plan was to experience life abroad, by studying and then by working, ideally, for an
66 | INTELLIGENT INSURER | 2015
What has been the highlight of your career so far? I am fortunate to be in a role that includes both diversity and experiences that cannot be matched in other careers. I have worked on many different key international client accounts over the years, covering most classes of business while closely working with specialists from various fields. Without a doubt one of the many highlights has been mentoring young talent. Nurturing talent is vital for the future of the industry and it is a privilege to know that the insight and knowledge that I can share will help shape the next generation of leaders. At the same time these opportunities allow me to discover new and creative ways of working from people who are new to our industry. Joining the PSG in Guy Carpenter has to be the highlight of
my career so far as I enjoy the challenges and diversity of the role. Delivering innovative solutions to clients and broking teams, whether it is a new product, concept or analytics tool, is part of our daily lives.
What has been the biggest challenge you have
encountered? While it is common knowledge that we are in an industry that is still working towards greater people diversity, I have enjoyed the challenge of working abroad and being a career-focused woman in the reinsurance world. Being different is an asset, it allows you to stand out from the crowd and if you are good at what you do, you will make a greater impact. As a mother of two children, there is the additional challenge of balancing a successful career, which includes frequent travelling, and keeping a happy home. While it probably took me a few years to get it right, I believe I have now achieved this perfect balance.
If you had chosen a different profession/career path, what would it have been? While studying for my bachelor’s degree I had made the decision to go into law at university, specialising in the criminal field. However, a change of heart led me to studying international business. Reinsurance may seem like a departure from that original plan but they share many similarities. Today I deal with a very different crowd than I would have in law, but we use the same passion and skills in presenting one’s argument and we get a similar sense of achievement when delivering great results for our clients. Any regrets? Not one. My love for foreign languages and travel is much better suited to the reinsurance industry than the legal bar.
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