She delivered this message throughout her a keynote deal with on the Insurtech Insights Europe 2023 summit in London final week.
“Innovation is about assembly unmet wants,” she stated, talking to an viewers of insurance coverage and insurtech leaders. “Nonetheless, what we discover is in our enterprise, we’re requested to do extra with much less. Infinite development at a finite restrict is just unimaginable.”
Soetman-Reijnen will step down as chairman on April 1, 2023 after 33 years within the firm, Aon introduced on Thursday (March 9).
‘Not sufficient has modified since yesterday’
Throughout her speech, Soetman-Reijnen mirrored on the modifications she has seen within the trade over time. However she additionally lamented that insurance coverage was not maintaining quick sufficient to ship what shoppers need, the best way tech giants resembling Amazon and Google can.
“Each time I’m again in London, it appears like not sufficient has modified since yesterday,” Soetman-Reijnen stated. “There’s nonetheless work to be executed.”
Whereas giant incumbents are positioned to stay available in the market for the many years to return, newer corporations have to combat the continuing battle for relevance.
Information and expertise, that are already plentiful available in the market, will play a key position in innovation. However change wants to return from insurance coverage corporations themselves, the Aon Holdings chairman urged.
“How will we as an trade keep related and ensure that the services we produce meet these unmet wants? How will we study and adapt our enterprise fashions accordingly in our corporations?” Soetman-Reijnen requested leaders. “That is the massive problem.”
Emotionally clever management
Organizations can higher innovate by emotionally clever leaders, Soetman-Reijnen argued.
“You probably have a product that you simply suppose is exclusive and related to the world, you need to be sure that it is being adopted. Emotional intelligence is vital to carry that message and guarantee individuals are following,” she stated.
The significance of emotionally clever management has reverberated strongly throughout the worldwide office within the wake of the pandemic. However there’s not sufficient of it on the highest ranges of management, in response to Soetman-Reijnen.
“The upper [leaders] get within the ranks of corporations, the much less emotional intelligence they’ve,” she stated, citing a research by the World Financial discussion board.
Other than with the ability to reply and cater to the wants of their workers, emotionally clever leaders are higher geared up to deal with innovation and alter.
“What’s most vital on this second of the world we’re residing in is the way you adapt. Are you able to present the a situational consciousness wanted to carry your services or products to the individuals who want it most?” Soetman-Reijnen stated.
Adaptability is among the most vital parts of management as a result of it permits people to vary and associate with change when obligatory. However Soetman-Reijnen additionally highlighted resilience and “failing early and failing sensible” as vital expertise insurance coverage leaders have to grasp.
“Individuals don’t purchase what you do, they purchase why you do it”
Objective drives the youthful era, Soeteman-Reijnen stresses. Prospects need to align with corporations that shares their values #InsurtechInsights2023
— Gia Snape (@GiaSnape) March 1, 2023
Stepping down as Aon Holdings chairman
“True management is when folks observe you even when you find yourself not there,” stated Soeteman-Reijnen, who’s leaving Aon after greater than three many years.
She has served in a number of management roles throughout her time on the international monetary companies agency, together with international chief advertising officer for Aon Inpoint.
Exterior the agency, she has embraced numerous non-executive and ambassador roles, resembling member of the worldwide alumni board of Harvard Enterprise Faculty and member of the board of administrators of the American Chamber of Commerce within the Netherlands.
She has additionally advocated for ladies’s empowerment as ambassador of UWC Maastricht, supporting their MENA Girls Empowerment initiative.
Eric Andersen, president of Aon, stated the corporate would have fun Soeteman-Reijnen’s contributions at a farewell symposium later within the yr.
“On behalf of her colleagues at Aon, I need to acknowledge Marguerite for 33 years of service to the agency and the numerous contributions she made to our enterprise, company governance, and inclusion and variety initiatives. We want her the easiest on this subsequent chapter of her profession,” Andersen stated in a information launch.
Soeteman-Reijnen expressed gratitude for the honour of serving the agency and for with the ability to pursue her ambitions on danger, management, inclusion, and variety inside and outdoors Aon.
“In my journey from trainee to Chairman of Aon Holdings BV, I’ve been lucky to work alongside so many gifted folks from numerous backgrounds, who have been all as passionate as me in regards to the agency’s aim to associate with our shoppers to assist form enterprise choices for the higher,” she stated.
“It’s the proper time to observe my curiosity for brand spanking new goals and new challenges.”
How can the insurance coverage trade embrace innovation amidst right this moment’s dangers and challenges? Hold forth your concepts within the feedback under.