When Passion and Purpose Align

As Chief Risk Officer for Life & Health (L&H) Reinsurance at Swiss Re, a leading provider of reinsurance and insurance, Karen is a strong advocate for financial sustainability.

With two decades of insurance expertise, she consistently drives meaningful impact in her field. By integrating her passion and purpose, she finds meaning in creating solutions that make our society more resilient in the face of adversity.

We spoke with her to learn about her motivations, the advice she wishes to share, and how being an NBS alumna has contributed to her success.

 

What do you count as your most rewarding career achievement?

Society often does not realise that role of the insurance industry is to protect and enable. I consider my role in helping develop insurance offerings that improve lives to be my most rewarding achievement.

It is unfortunate that in most parts of Asia, there is a lack of social security, and this vulnerability becomes a critical issue in old age when health declines. We have a responsibility towards society, and I’m glad to be in the thick of the action to roll out innovative insurance products to plug these gaps while keeping costs affordable.

I’m very fortunate to have found my calling as an insurance executive, supporting people and businesses as they seek to achieve their goals despite uncertainty.

Being able to align my passion and purpose has kept me motivated and excited about the work that I do. When we do things with a sense of purpose and passion, everything feels breezier as it has meaning.

 

What advice do you have for NBS students and young alumni in the early stages of their careers?

Take risks to learn and explore.

When I first joined the industry, I was among the first batch of management trainees in my company. This meant I did not know what to expect as the programme evolved along the way and I can shape which parts of the company I gained exposure to.

Over the years, my curiosity and desire to learn led me to work across multiple functions. At some point, I even had to work almost entirely in German while attending management meetings and interacting with the regulator. I’m glad I was undeterred, as the experience gave me a holistic understanding of the company and how things work.

Seek opportunities to add value.

Adopt a “can do” attitude and do not shy away from challenges. Be someone who adds value by being part of the solution.

I recall being roped into swimming in a Gigathlon event with my project teammates and had to learn how to swim the crawl in a cold lake within a short duration.

Respond positively to challenges to develop a reputation as someone who brings value to the equation. Through this, more opportunities to grow and develop will naturally come your way.

Build relationships.

While I am very determined to get things done, I remain empathetic and recognise that people work best with those they are on friendly terms with and can trust.

Hence, it is important to always communicate in a way that builds trust and respect among colleagues. This will ensure that team members operate in a supportive environment where we can count on one another.

Admit we can do things better.

Improvement comes through reflection. As a leader, it is critical to remain humble and know that we can always do better.

We operate in an ever-changing landscape, so we need to continually reflect and learn from colleagues, advisors and even those from outside of our industry to stay relevant.

 

How has being an NBS Alumna contributed to your career growth?

Networking benefits.

I am on the NBS Alumni Board, where I raise topics of importance in the insurance industry to help shape courses at NBS.

Through this, I can network and interact with the other members of the NBS Alumni Board, who are well-respected business leaders from across industries.

By remaining actively connected to NBS and other alumni members, I am part of a supportive network that generously shares information on the current trends, innovations and opportunities.

Learning from the younger generation.

I also mentor young, talented undergraduates or younger alumni from NBS. Through this, I’m inspired by the fresh perspectives I hear and better understand the challenges they face.

There's no progress without collaboration and in this spirit, I feel it is important that I understand the ideals and motivations of our younger generation. This allows me to become a better leader, one who can effectively harness the collaborative synergies of intergenerational teams that I manage at work.

 

How do you balance your professional life with personal interests and commitments?

It is clear to me that a healthy happy family life as well as personal wellbeing, form the foundation of any professional success.

I make it a point to spend quality time with my family and we enjoy taking vacations together. I ensure that this is strictly family time, with work off the table.