Inga Beale: From Early Career to Industry Icon

Inga Beale's journey to becoming an industry icon was marked by a series of strategic career moves. She started her career in the Lloyd's of London insurance market, where she gained valuable experience.

Her early career was focused on underwriting, a role that involved assessing and managing risk. Inga Beale quickly proved herself to be a skilled and knowledgeable underwriter.

In 2014, Beale took on the leadership role of Lloyd's of London, becoming the first female Chief Executive in the company's 325-year history.

Inga Beale started her career in 1982 at Prudential Assurance Company in London, where she trained as an underwriter, specialising in international treaty reinsurance.

She took issue with posters in the office depicting half-naked women, only to have her colleagues plaster them across her computer and chair, highlighting the predominantly male industry at the time.

In 1989, Beale took a year off to travel, cycling in Australia and backpacking in Asia, showing her adventurous spirit and willingness to take breaks.

She left Prudential in 1992 to work as an underwriter in General Electric's insurance division, marking the beginning of her successful career in the industry.

Inga Beale was a trailblazer in the insurance industry, making history as the first female CEO of Lloyd's of London.

She took the reins in 2015, bringing a wealth of experience to the role.

Inga Beale's appointment marked a significant milestone for women in leadership positions within the Lloyd's organization.

She was the first woman to lead the 325-year-old institution.

Her tenure was marked by a number of key initiatives aimed at driving growth and improving the customer experience.

Inga Beale played competitive rugby for London's Wasps into her thirties, nearly making it to the international level. She's a true athlete at heart.

Diversity was key to Beale's success in disrupting Lloyds' business practices. She realized that even young people who had grown up with new technology could become stuck in old ways of thinking.

Beale introduced open plan offices and an innovation hub to foster a culture of innovation and collaboration. This approach has been running successfully for years, and it's a great example of how to create a space that encourages creativity and progress.

Beale's dedication to sports is impressive, as she played competitive rugby for London's Wasps into her thirties.

Her experience in a physically demanding sport like rugby likely honed her discipline and perseverance.

She nearly made it to the international level, showing that with hard work and determination, one can push themselves to great heights.

In her personal life, Beale has found love with Philippe Pfeiffer, a Swiss jewellery designer.

Diversity is key to disrupting business practices and bringing new thinking to the table. Dame Inga's experience at Lloyds shows that even young people can become stuck in old ways of thinking if they're not exposed to new ideas.

Introducing open plan offices and innovation hubs can help foster a culture of diversity and creativity. The "Dive In" diversity festival, launched by Dame Inga, is a great example of this in action, attracting 30,000 insurance professionals every year.

New hiring practices that actively seek out women and different races can make a big difference in creating a diverse workforce. This is exactly what Dame Inga did at Lloyds, opening up the business to a more diverse range of people.

Reverse mentoring is another great way to bring different perspectives into the workplace. By pairing older staff with younger colleagues, businesses can tap into the skills and attitudes of a new generation of digital natives.

Dame Inga Beale believes the insurance industry has a crucial role in driving human progress, citing its history of insuring new and emerging risks such as motor cars, aeroplanes, and satellites.

The industry was slow to provide cyber cover, but it's now a necessity in the modern economy. Insurance should be about de-risking new investments, and innovating to price and manage these risks.

Dame Inga challenges the global actuarial profession to play a crucial role in delivering the AI future, by managing biases and ensuring clean data.

She sees AI as a potential driver of job growth, rather than job loss, and believes actuaries must be part of making this happen.