Celebrating International Women’s Day: An Interview with Aviva’s Ann Owen

Ann Owen’s accomplishments in the insurance industry are truly inspiring! From chief underwriting officer progressing to the role of managing director for Aviva’s High Net Worth insurance, Owen stands as a thriving success story in the insurance industry.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, we’ve asked Ann to share some of her insightful wisdom with us!

 

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

For me, IWD is a day to celebrate how far we have come with gender equality but to also remind ourselves that we can’t be complacent – we need to continue to focus on getting more female representation at the highest levels of business and have a strong pipeline of upcoming female talent.

 

Who is a woman that has inspired you?

I continue to be inspired by my Mum. I can’t remember a time when she didn’t work as myself and my brother were growing up, so she was a great role model as a working Mum. She always encouraged me to work hard at everything I do – and to always dress the part!

 

Have you faced any difficulties in your career? If so, how did you overcome them?

I was made redundant from a senior role after 13 years at the company, when I was pregnant. This was a huge setback for me, but I was determined that it wouldn’t affect my career. I made sure I was out in the market and met lots of people, and I was lucky enough to start a new senior level role when I was 7 months pregnant.

 

What action in your career are you most proud of?

I was once given a promotion that was a global role and involved moving to New York. It was my dream job, but I was not able to relocate due to my personal circumstances. I was adamant that I could do the job from London, so I made a pitch to my boss. After two weeks of silence, he agreed to give me the job and let me ‘prove him wrong’ – and I did!

 

What can workplaces do to achieve better workplace equality?

To focus on ability above all else and ensure a fair process for recruitment of all roles.

 

What advice would you give to someone looking to work their way up in the insurance sector?

My advice is to find an area that you are passionate in – nothing beats loving your job! Insurance has so many different lines of business to work in, and varying disciplines such as underwriting, sales, claims and risk management. Move around the industry until you find a role that interests you and learn as much about it as you can. Find yourself a great mentor and sponsor, and realise that you never know everything, and that nothing beats experience.