Meet The Board

Claire McDonald

Chair

Claire has worked in insurance for over 30 years with Allianz in a mixture of underwriting and operations leadership roles, both on a local basis in UK and France and in more recent years in Global roles as Global Head of Operations (800 staff across the world – insurance operations, real estate, procurement and Business Continuity Management) and Global Practice Leader, Allianz Multinational (Allianz’s global program product). Earlier this year she changed to HDI Global where she now heads up the UK and Ireland branches. Claire is a Liveryman in the Worshipful Company of Insurers and on the Board of iWin as well as an Ambassador for the Insurance Supper Club. Claire’s passion for working for a more gender equal world comes from her core values around fairness, meritocracy and wastefulness – gender should never be a reason why someone is overlooked and what are the societal “norms” that mean that the playing ground is not even and how can we work to change them. Claire is an active mentor and supporter of young women.

Claire Bowler

Head of Insurance Sector, DWF LLP

Claire acts for numerous major UK and worldwide insurers in large loss and international cases. She set up and heads DWF’s International Claims Team and is regularly instructed in some of the largest and highest profile complex cross-border claims in the London Market, as well as for insurance companies and corporate clients all over the world. In 2011 Claire won the prestigious “Woman of Achievement Award” for the Insurance category in the Women in the City Awards, being named one of seven top female executives working in the City of London that year. She also features in the Women in the City book 'Project Diamond' as one of five selected women highlighted as a case study for success factors for women in business. Claire was made a Partner when she was 31 and a full Equity Partner at just 34. She has featured in The Financial Times and regularly appears in legal and insurance industry press. In 2016 Claire was elected to the Strategic Board of DWF, the first time a woman had been elected to DWF's main Board.

Sally Bramall FCII

Head Market Relations Governance, WTW

Sally is currently Head of the Market Relations Governance at Willis Towers Watson. Sally joined Willis in 1988 and served as Global Head of Market Security from 1998-2013. She additionally served as Chief Operating Officer of the GB Client & Business Development Group and Financial Institutions Group. Sally is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute, holds a M.B.A. from the University of Hull, and is Vice President and Diversity Officer for the Insurance Institute of Ipswich, Suffolk & North Essex. She sits on the Lloyd’s of London steering committee for D&I (“Inclusion@Lloyd’s”), and the iWIN Committee, the women’s network of Worshipful Company of Insurers,.

Brendan McCafferty

CEO, Brightside

Brendan McCafferty is the current CEO at Brightside Insurance, one of the UK’s largest insurance brokers. Previously, he worked as CEO of Flood Re where he launched and managed an industry-backed initiative to make flood insurance more affordable and accessible for those living in flood-prone areas.

Vivine Cameron BA (Hons) Assoc CIPD

Education Partnerships Manager, CII

Vivine was appointed in January 2018 as Education Partnerships Manager for the Chartered Insurance Institute. Her role and remit is the creation and management of CII partnerships within Higher Education to expand the range of education options available to insurance and personal finance professionals – both existing and future professionals. 2008 American Express Regent’s Club Award Winner - recognizing outstanding top performing 3% of employees globally for their goal achievements and leadership behaviours. A highly skilled Project Manager with a real passion for individual personal and professional Learning and Development. Skilled in interpersonal relationships with a wide range of internal and external clients and stakeholders. Management of Projects, Programmes, Learning & Development (Training) interventions for Private, Not for Profit, Education and Legal professions.

John O'Connor

Head of Inclusion HRD, Ageas

John has held many significant and senior HR roles spanning over a 25 year period, at leading organisations such as AXA, Subsea 7, Lloyds Register, Shell International Trading and Shipping Company in the UK and previously spent a significant part of his career in Australia for organisations such as Bayer and Coles Myer Limited. John also ran his own consulting business for a period of time, before deciding to join Ageas as their Head of Talent and Development and more recently moving in to the role of Head of Inclusion and Diversity. John has led significant HR programme initiatives, developed leading-edge HR and Talent Management solutions, working in complex global matrix environments and has a real passion for transformational change, but in particular has a passion for driving change across the diversity and inclusion space.

Sarah Griffiths

Director of Communications, Gallagher

Sarah is Director of Communications for Gallagher’s UK broking and underwriting business. She joined Gallagher in 2013 and is responsible for internal and external communications across the 5,000-strong business along with UK corporate partnerships, including Gallagher’s Title Partnership of Premiership Rugby. Sarah moved into the insurance industry seven years ago, initially out of curiosity, after spending 15 years in the telecoms and technology sector, latterly as Head of Communications for BT Wholesale. She is a passionate advocate for working parents and has an eight year old son who she is (desperately) trying to teach the Welsh language in an attempt to keep her homeland roots alive in London.

Irem Yerdelen

Director, Climate and Resilience Hub, Willis Towers Watson

Irem is an experienced and forward-thinking risk management consultant with excellent educational background and 15 years industry experience, starting her career in Marsh & McLennan before moving to Willis Towers Watson (WTW) in 2012. Irem has held various roles throughout her career including; placing large and complex risks into the London Market, producing (Re)insurance business internationally, advising clients on risk management issues, managing team of brokers and carrier relationships. In her current role Irem is leading the corporate client engagement for WTW’s Climate and Resilience Hub, enabling clients’ access to subject matter expertise and climate change related solutions intersect between risk, people and capital. Irem’s passion for Inclusion and Diversity is keeping her busy as the Co-chair of WTW’s Gender Equity Network in the UK. Irem has been awarded 'Freedom of The City' in 2018 by City of London Corporation as a recognition of her outstanding contribution to making City diverse place to work. Irem is a Liveryman of Worshipful Company of Insurers since then and contributes to promoting excellence and exceptional ethical behaviour within insurance industry, helping to the City Civic in London and the wider community. Outside the day job, Irem is a significant contributor to various charity organisations that are determined to help others in need within under-represented societies. An environmentalist, loves conserving nature, walking, foraging and drive positive vision & mission forward globally in today's changing world.

Dr Jyoti Navare

Associate Professor at Middlesex University Business School

Jyoti is Associate Professor at Middlesex University Business School. She holds a Doctorate of Philosophy from Southampton University (Risk Management) and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She is also a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute and an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. She has a number of years of experience as an International Risk Manager and Underwriter based in London and Sweden and working closely with Financial Services organisations and governments internationally. Apart from holding visiting professorships at a number of European universities and at a premier Indian Research Institute in Mumbai, she is also an invited member of Financial Services Innovation Centre in India which has board level members from insurance companies, finance organisations, stock market and professional bodies. She has also held non-executive/independent directorships of a UK Housing Association and a Financial Services Professional Body in the City of London and on their board of the Professional Standards and Ethics committee. She is also currently a school governor. In 2019 she became a liveried member of the Worship Company of Insurers. She remains actively engaged in research, academic management and leadership, PhD supervisions, distance learning Masters; consultancy and knowledge transfer. Her research interests in addition to risk management include business modelling; microfinance, corporate and consumer behaviour; sustainability, innovation, international business; corporate social responsibility and professional development. She had written a book on Marketing of Financial Services and contributed to other books on risk management, microfinance and vulnerable households. Collaborating with two other universities and in receipt of an ESRC grant, published in 2019, an Handbook on Small Business Social Responsibility: Global Perspectives (Edward Elgar) At university and in the dept. of Economics she also holds a role of Employability Advocate and is passionate in encouraging students’ skills development and their access to relevant graduate employment, placements and internships and also exposing them to various industry sectors.

Erik Johnson

Deputy Active Underwriter, Victor Syndicate 2288

Erik Johnson is an avid volunteer and passionate advocate for all things Canadian, insurance, and inclusion and diversity. He was a founding Co-Chair of Link (LGBT Insurance Network), the Insurance Institute of London’s first Diversity Champion, and a founding Steering Committee member of iCAN (Insurance Cultural Awareness Network). He currently sits on the Inclusion@Lloyd’s committee and leads its Partner Network Initiative, is a Council and ExCo member of the Insurance Institute of London, and National Forum Officer with the Chartered Insurance Institute. Erik also sits on the Advisory Board of the University of Calgary’s Risk & Insurance faculty’s programme Advisory Board. And as if that isn’t enough to squeeze in, Erik’s day job is as the Deputy Active Underwriter for Victor Insurance’s Lloyd’s Syndicate 2288. Erik’s previous life was as a professional ballet dancer, having trained with Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. Following an injury that cut short his career, Erik returned home to Calgary to study his Bachelor of Commerce degree with a joint major in Insurance, Risk Management & Finance. He started his insurance career at Marsh in Canada and moved to London in 2004 to study his MSc Insurance & Risk Management at Cass Business School. Upon graduation, Erik joined Deloitte’s Corporate Finance Insurance Practice working as an Assistant Director on M&A due diligence and strategy projects across the insurance industry. He joined the London Market in 2011 working in strategy, corporate development, and syndicate management roles. In 2017 Erik was recognised as a ‘Market Inclusion & Diversity Champion’ by LM Forums; in 2019 as the Chartered Insurance Institute’s ‘Unsung Hero’ and ‘Special recognition Award’ at the Dive In Awards; and in 2019 the ‘Distinguished Alumni Award’ by the University of Calgary’s faculty of Risk Management & Insurance. He is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute and Liveryman of the WCI.