SiriusPoint’s Howell knows what's important
Victoria Howell, head of program management at SiriusPoint, knows how to put life into perspective, now that she’s brought one into the world.
“I would say, having had a child, it does help me to prioritise things. Even better, I can really put into perspective what's important,” she said on the latest Young Meteors episode.
But at 21, it was a lower tier in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs which started Howell’s career as she attempted to avoid the financial insecurity of university life.
“I took a gap year, got a place at university, but then I decided I wanted to keep working because I really loved earning money,” she said.
“I started in a bank, originally in the debt recovery space. So, very difficult conversations with people going through extreme hardship,” she added.
Howell came into insurance through the PA route starting at Marsh McLennan, before deciding that she wanted to give private equity a go – but it wasn't for her.
“I worked at Marsh McLennan, in their investment consulting area, and decided that investment consulting perhaps wasn't for me, but I did love financial services, and so I kind of jumped around, willing to find where I fitted in.”
Howell’s journey eventually led her to Lloyd’s of London, starting again as a PA. She soon made the leap to assistant executive at WR Berkley Syndicate 1967, drawn in by the challenges posed by the delegated authority space.
“I just wanted to challenge myself more every day. I wanted to always be learning, developing. In delegated authority, you're involved in everything, every class – finance, claims, law, jurisdiction, regulation, it's all interconnected,” explained Howell.
After her time at WR Berkley, Howell moved to SiriusPoint to lead the company’s program management unit.
“I joined SiriusPoint in January, so it’s been nearly eight months now. We've recently relaunched our MGA centre of excellence strategy within the international business. Growing out the team and helping develop the strategy is hugely exciting for me,” she explained
Like many other participants in The Insurer TV’s Young Meteors series, Howell has faced self-doubt along the way.
“I still have self doubt, but I think it’s totally normal. Anyone in a senior position will say they’ve questioned themselves at some point. But I think that’s a good thing – it pushes me to keep growing,” she said.
One of the biggest challenges in her career was balancing work with becoming a mother while at Syndicate 1967. Howell was concerned that taking maternity leave would cause her to fall behind.
Coming back after mat leave
Going on maternity leave was one of the most challenging points in my career. Coming back was quite scary, worrying that I’d be out of the loop,” she said.
“As a new parent, you worry that things move so quickly, and you don’t want to get left behind.” said Howell.
However, those fears proved to be unfounded. Howell hit the ground running when she returned, feeling even more focused and with a better perspective on what really mattered.
“It is challenging, but I think I felt the same feeling when I came back after mat leave that I did when I first came into insurance. It clicked. I was surrounded by the right people at the right time, and they helped me to develop and continue to succeed.”
“I would say, having had a child, it does also help me to prioritise things. Even better, I can really put into perspective what's important,” concluded Howell.
Young Meteors
The Insurer TV's Young Meteors series captures the authentic experiences of young professionals striving to succeed in the (re)insurance industry. Filmed in iconic industry locations, the series follows under-35s as they navigate career challenges across various roles, from broking and underwriting to actuarial and claims handling.
Watch the last episode featuring RiverStone’s Victoria Vincent.