This is why this CoE requires a seasoned leader who is immersed in the world of insurance. That person is Dianne White, who recently took over management of the Property and Energy CoE, which covers industry sectors ranging from mining and energy to manufacturing, financial services, technology and communication, real estate, retail and more.
Unlike many others, who seem to end up in insurance by default rather than design, White is a committed insurance professional who has been with Hollard since 2000. Indeed, apart from the industry qualifications she holds, she studied for a career in insurance and is the holder of a BCom (Honours) degree in marketing and insurance.
In her time at Hollard, she has worked in a number of capacities that all stand her in good stead for her current position, including Risk Finance, Group New Business (which exposed her to all aspects of Hollard’s business) and corporate underwriting.
She was involved in the initial formation of Hollard Corporate, underwriting clients’ significant asset values, and prior to her new appointment, she was an underwriter in the Property and Energy team for more than five years.
“All my focus has been on building external relationships. It’s always been about doing business in some way,” she says.
White is acutely aware that she has taken on her new appointment “just at the most challenging time of the current market cycle”. Economic times are tough, clients are cutting back on costs, there is continual pressure on rates, and stiff competition in the insurance sector often revolves around price.
Now is the time to box clever – by being smart around risk management, and working closely with clients and their intermediaries in the interests of all stakeholders.
“We’re taking stock and re-evaluating our strategy,” says White. “What is most important now is risk quality – there’s no risk occupancy that we wouldn’t consider writing, but it all hinges on a company’s commitment to risk improvement.”
One of the biggest considerations for companies is the availability of funds for risk management. But in the “incredibly volatile” corporate insurance space, where claims can run into the hundreds of millions or even billions of rands, responsible insurers can’t compromise on risk management standards at the cost of reducing premiums.
“Our reinsurers need to know that we’re managing clients’ risk adequately; after all, they carry a substantial portion of that risk. Equally, there is a need for us to work closely with brokers and their clients in order to mitigate risk and ensure comprehensive cover.
Insurance, for White, is a fulfilling career in which she, as a young woman in an overwhelmingly male-dominated field, is flourishing. Hollard, which has provided her with “that scope and opportunity” to succeed, is her professional home.
“Hollard is always about the win-win-win: for policyholders, brokers and us. In this case, we go for the win-win-win-win, including our reinsurance partners in the equation.”
White says Hollard stands out in the industry for several reasons: it is a South African firm; it is an independent insurer; it is financially solid, and it has a strong African footprint.
Hollard provides clients with a one-stop shop range of specialist options. Often, the Property and Energy CoE’s clientele are in the market with other insurance needs, providing opportunities for other CoEs – for example, those handling constructions and engineering, liabilities, marine, motor and others – to contribute solutions.
“While we do work in specialist silos, we cannot be insular. Very often, we’re in a position to offer our clients a package of first-rate insurance covers,” says White.
If you would like to find out more about what the Property and Energy CoE can do for your corporate clients, please contact Dianne White at 011 351 2182 or diannew@hollard.co.za.
