TOP 40 D&I CHAMPIONS: D–J
Sue Davies
Chief human resources officer—Markel Corporation
Davies is responsible for leading Markel’s global HR team, including D&I, as well as leading the company’s community engagement and US workplace resources functions. With more than 30 years of business leadership experience, she is executive sponsor of Markel’s Global D&I Steering Committee and has been very much involved in building the company’s D&I strategy.
Before taking up her current role in 2018, Davies served as Markel’s senior director, Global Organisation Effectiveness and Strategy, and managed the company’s compensation and organisation design and strategy functions.
Troy Dehmann
Chief operations officer—Beazley
With more than 20 years of leadership experience in finance, operations, and business transformation within the financial services sector, Dehmann has been described by his colleagues as inspiring when it comes to working on D&I initiatives.
He is pragmatic, solutions-focused and committed to holding himself, his management team and wider department to account when it comes to D&I.
He takes time to mentor and champion others and has been a vocal sponsor of the work that individuals across the company are doing.
Emmanuel Djengue
Director, innovation, and partnerships—RGAX EMEA
Through his leadership of innovation initiatives, Djengue works to help close the insurance coverage gap and make financial protection accessible to all people, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, or income status. He has also presented and written on the subject.
As vice president of the Association of Young Insurance Professionals, he is actively involved in furthering diversity across the industry and mentoring the next generation of insurance leaders. He is based in Madrid, where he was named in the 40 Under 40 to Watch list for the insurance sector by INESE.
Catherine Duffy
Country leader of Bermuda—AIG
As a respected civic and community leader on the island of Bermuda, Duffy lives and breathes D&I by lifting other colleagues up regardless of race, gender, sexuality, accessibility, or mental capacity.
She has an extensive focus on mentorship and a long history of identifying and guiding under-represented groups of talent toward industry opportunities. This includes her current role as executive sponsor of the AIG Bermuda Women & Allies Employee Resource Group, advocacy for the AIG Student Internship programme, and as a speaker on topics that include the role Bermuda has played in re/insurance, career guidance, and DEI.
Duffy thrives on mentoring youth and is passionate about helping to attract and retain Bermudians of diverse backgrounds to careers in the insurance industry.
She is the author of the first comprehensive reference book, “Held Captive: A History of International Insurance in Bermuda”. She is currently serving as chair of the DEI Committee for the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers.
Brian Duperreault
Executive chairman and former CEO—AIG
Duperreault is an executive sponsor of the Bermuda Women & Allies Employee Resource Group (ERG) and was a lead speaker at several diversity events in 2021, including AIG’s Global ERG Summit and the insurance industry’s Dive In Festival. At these events he highlighted the importance of respect and how D&I is at the core of the insurance industry. He has been quoted as saying: “How can you help society if you are not part of society?”
AIG has expanded its US benefits around adoption to include surrogacy expense reimbursement. The company has also renewed its commitment to the American Corporate Partners programme that pairs AIG mentors with veterans looking to enter the corporate world.
Louisa Erwin
Group head of DEI—BMS
Erwin is described as a passionate, driven, and high-achieving individual who combines personal beliefs and knowledge to add value to business and the wider industry. Erwin has significant experience developing and leading DEI initiatives and strategies across 24 countries. She has been recognised several times including being highly commended as Head of Diversity of the Year at the European Diversity Awards and Winner of a Rising Star award in Diversity.
Junior Garba
Chief executive officer—ACINRecruit
Garba is the co-founder of the African-Caribbean Insurance Network (ACIN) and the chief executive officer of ACINRecruit. ACIN was founded when two young underwriters, Garba and Godwin Sosi, found themselves increasingly frustrated with the D&I landscape within the insurance sector and the levels of under-representation of black professionals. Determined to level the playing field, the pair launched ACIN in 2018 with the support of their two founding sponsors Tokio Marine Kiln and Lloyd’s.
Garba is a member of Tokio Marine Kiln’s Ethnicity Network Group and regularly shares his views on racial inclusivity in insurance.
Natasha Gill
Chief diversity officer, global head of HR for reinsurance—Swiss Re
Gill is a formidable advocate for culture transformation, workplace mental health and D&I.
As a woman with a deep personal experience in and around the challenges associated with race and career progression, she uses coaching and mentoring in her professional and personal lives.
With the firmly held belief that everyone deserves equal opportunity regardless of background and circumstances, she drives her teams to maximise their potential.
She has a strong focus on cultural and transformational shifts, and coaches and mentors the teams under her leadership to drive sustainable change. She is also an active sponsor of diversity and mental health, wellbeing, and personal resilience in the workplace.
Aaida Abu Jaber
President, PR and marketing—International General Insurance
Abu Jaber leads D&I initiatives at International General Insurance (IGI) and brought the Lloyd’s Dive In Festival to Jordan in 2018.
In 2019, she helped set up an all-female insurance football team in Jordan, which went on to set a Guinness World Record for the biggest football game on earth in Lyon, France, during the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The event, and record, helped to shed light on gender disparity in sports and business.
She is a member of Women as Partners in Progress, a collective Middle East and North Africa women’s movement that addresses gender imbalance in the workplace. She is a member of the Jordan government’s negotiation team in the Middle East peace process.
Erik Johnson
Active Underwriter—MIC Global Syndicate 5183
As a senior underwriter working within the Lloyd’s market, Johnson is a passionate advocate for DEI. He supports Lloyd’s efforts around D&I by building a greater understanding of the issues in the market and by helping to deliver a more diverse, equal and inclusive culture.
With much global experience he enjoys working in inclusive high-performing teams that question, challenge and collaborate to get the best results.
He is passionate about the value that insurance brings to society and is an active promoter of insurance as a career. He sits on the board of Inclusion@Lloyd’s and the Risk Management & Insurance Advisory Board of the Haskayne School of Business. Johnson has also served on the Council of the Insurance Institute of London and as National Forum Officer with the Chartered Insurance Institute.
