Manage your career - International Women’s day webinar 2022

Beazley is proud to be co-hosting the 2022 International Women’s Day webinar with Clyde & Co.

Hosted by the Beazley SHE and Clyde & Co GECCO networks, this session will will focus on managing your career and offer practical direction and advice from the panellists.

Moderated by Beazley Non-Executive Director Soraya Wright, panelists include Clyde & Co’s Carolena Gordon, Lockton’s Julie Marcello, Beazley’s Beth Diamond and Ed Broking LLP's Laura Skaanild.

Register here

Soraya Wright (Non Executive Director of Beazley)

Soraya is the founder and CEO of SMW Risk Management Consulting, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She brings more than 30 years of experience in managing complex risks for a range of global businesses, specialising in evaluating enterprise risks and determining mitigation and risk strategies. Her previous leadership roles have included senior risk management and crisis management positions at Target and The Clorox Company, as well as president of the board of directors of the latter’s captive insurance subsidiary, which she formed. A champion for inclusion and diversity, Soraya has led businesses’ strategies to change policies, establish protocols and implement practices that drive positive cultural change and business outcomes.  She has influenced many organisations I&D strategies in a variety of formal roles including as a member of the diversity advisory board at Clorox, as co-lead of an African American Employee Resource Group (ERG) and as a member of a women’s ERG leadership team at Clorox. Soraya also serves on the Risk & Insurance Management Society’s Diversity and Inclusion Council and she has previously served on the Client Advisory Board of several insurance companies and commercial insurance brokerage firms, including ACE (Chubb), FM Global, and Marsh.

Beth Diamond (Group Head of Claims of Beazley)

Beth is responsible for the management and operational efficiency of a high-performing global team servicing claims arising from a diverse group of specialty insurance lines. She is a strategic thinker with a record of customer focused delivery, experienced in digital solutions, and producing innovative customer experiences. Beth has spent her career at the forefront of the most challenging issues facing our policyholders. Beth’s extensive experience powers her incisive and strategic thinking, whether it be defending novel legal theories, analyzing emerging areas of the law, or simply navigating through a set of complicated factual issues. Providing support and guidance is of primary importance to her.

Carolena Gordon (Senior Partner of Clyde & Co)

Carolena has been Clyde & Co's Senior Partner since July 2021 and sits on the firm’s Management Board. She is the first Senior Partner from outside of the UK and the first woman to be elected to this role. She is the former chair of the Firm's North American Board and served as a member of that Board as well as the Canadian Chair.

Carolena is an experienced litigator who runs a practice focused on all aspects of dispute resolution and risk management for a range of insurance and commercial clients, with a special interest in the infrastructure sector. Carolena has extensive domestic and international experience particularly in the defence of construction professionals, their firms, and insurers. Her practice also focuses on risk management, complex litigation, and class action defence.

A creative problem-solver, Carolena is, first and foremost, a litigator and trial lawyer who applies clear strategic focus from the outset. Her ability to understand her clients’ ultimate goals and guide them onto the best path to dispute resolution is what has earned her the respect of her clients and peers. Carolena is Charter Fellow, Construction Lawyers Society of America. She is recommended in the 2020, 2021 and 2022 editions of Chambers Canada as a leader in Insurance: Dispute Resolution and she is recommended in the 2021 and 2022 editions of Legal500 Canada as a leader in Insurance Law.

Julie Marcello (COO of Lockton)

Julie is Chief Operating Officer for Lockton’s Mountain West Series, which includes offices in Denver, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and Seattle. In this role, she is responsible for Series operations and business development, attracting the best industry talent, and maintaining Lockton’s position as the best place to work and do business in insurance. Julie is an accomplished insurance industry executive with global management and operational experience. She has 23 years of domestic and international experience leading strategy, P&L management, underwriting portfolio management, operations, service delivery and team leadership. Most recently, Julie spent five years as a market leader for Marsh overseeing the Chicago office and leading five additional Midwest offices. Prior to joining Marsh, Julie spent 18 years with Chubb Insurance in leadership positions around the globe, including Europe, Australia and Latin America. A believer in trust, transparency and talent, Julie’s leadership style aims to create exceptional results for the business and an inclusive and inspired culture.

Laura Skaanild (Managing Director of Ed Broking LLP)

Laura is the Managing Director of the Professional & Executive Risk Team at Ed Broking LLP.  Laura is based in London and leads a team of dedicated insurance professionals, providing Financial Lines insurance solutions for a global client base.  Laura is a solicitor with over 20 years of experience in the legal and insurance sectors, her background enabling her to provide a different perspective when it comes to strategy and best execution.  Laura brings a relentless focus on client service delivery, coupled with a strong consultative approach.  Laura feels as passionately about delivering for her team as she does in terms of advocating for her clients, nurturing and retaining talent being key. 

Laura is a member of the Ed Broking Inclusion and Diversity Committee and has championed a number of initiatives across the organisation, being a strong believer in the multitude of benefits which come from a diverse and inclusive environment.   Laura joined Ed Broking in 2019, her previous role being Head of the Financial Institutions Major Accounts Team at Willis Towers Watson.