Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Virginie Mathé. I am 40 years old, married and the mother of two children.
I am currently a client executive for major clients at the broking firm of Marsh.
Before my present position, I was an Industrial Risk Underwriter for over ten years at AXA in France and in China where I was an expatriate. There I led the import business book and coached our Chinese colleagues on international property insurance programs.
Can you tell us more about your background?
I have a Masters degree in insurance law but I am also the daughter and granddaughter of a broker and insurer, respectively.
I am passionate about raising standards in the insurance industry. I believe this industry could do much more to further many societal issues and gender equality is definitely one of them.
Along with my experience as industrial risk underwriter, I also had the opportunity to join the strategy and sustainability team of the AXA Group which projected a new light on the role of the insurance industry regarding the society issues.
Can you share some examples of where gender equality was an issue?
There are many. Ten years ago, I was sent to China as an expatriate and my husband followed me. Every man congratulated him saying how brave he was to stop working and follow his wife. I was a bit angry about that as any one of them ever congratulated a woman for stopping her career in favor of her husband’s.
That was ten years ago, but more recently, during the first lockdown, although my husband and myself do share domestic tasks, I was the one experiencing difficulties dealing with children and professional obligations at the same time. As the mother of two little children (5 and 2 years old), I had to be a nanny, a school teacher, a manager, a cook, a laundry woman and a client executive.
This resulted in a general failure where I had the feeling of not meeting expectations anywhere. It took time for me to recover trust in my abilities. My husband dealt much better with keeping his job separate from his family life. It was more natural for him to keep the children away from the room where he was working and he felt less guilty about it than I did.
What would you say to other women in the industry?
Last year, I had the opportunity to be enrolled in a mentoring program to support leading women in the insurance industry.
This was a great chance to speak freely with other women, of all ages, share experiences and gather feedback. I would say to other women to connect as much as they can to their communities and reinforce the confidence in themselves (which seems to be the hardest thing for working women to do).
Why do you think it is important to support gender equality in the insurance industry?
With many CEO, COO and CFO positions occupied mostly by men, I feel the insurance industry is missing a great opportunity to see the world as half of the world's population see it. What a pity to always have the same eyes looking at the great issues in the world when so much value could emerge from a different perspective and make the insurance industry different from what it is today.
What would you say to men in the insurance industry?
Be proud and supportive of the women you admire. One used to say, “Behind the man, look for the women”. I believe the reverse is perfectly true, “Behind the successful woman there is a man who helped her see the world through men's eyes and navigate through men's world as it is today.”
Thank you Virginie
