As part of our Women’s Month reflections leading up to the upcoming Women’s Day event, “Grace, Grit and Growth: A Season to Bloom,” we invited our Activation Sponsors to share their views on a key question focused on action and impact.
We asked: What is one practical step organisations can take today to better support women’s growth and leadership?
Their responses highlight tangible actions that organisations can implement immediately to strengthen inclusion, unlock opportunity, and accelerate the advancement of women across the industry.
We are pleased to share their insights below as part of this year’s Women’s Month feature.
Growth begins with opportunity
Every season of growth begins with the same practical step: creating the conditions for people to flourish. For us, that means trusting talented people with genuine responsibility, early and often. Camargue’s young, largely female team wasn’t built as a statement, but because conscientious, hardworking, and talented people deserve the opportunity to grow. That team brings energy, fresh perspectives and new ideas that continually open doors to innovation and new markets. We’ve learned that when you invest in growth without preconditions, everyone blooms, the individual, the team, and the business.
Lucian Carciumaru
CEO
Camargue Underwriting Managers
Creating leaders, changing systems
Despite women leaders having made significant strides across multiple industries, women remain underrepresented in top leadership positions on the global stage. Gender bias, whether conscious or unconscious, in addition to outdated stereotypes, continues to obstruct women’s executive ambitions. Inspiring success stories are the exception rather than the rule. The importance of gender diversity in leadership cannot be overstated. Diverse teams bring different perspectives and creative ideas to the table, resulting in increased innovation, better decision-making and improved overall performance. An inclusive environment ensures that all voices are heard. Businesses need to move beyond simply talking about women in leadership and actively create opportunities for women to develop, contribute and lead. For me, one of the most practical steps an organisation can take is to intentionally create opportunities for women to grow, not only through mentorship and training, but through trust and meaningful responsibility. Bias needs to be eliminated from the recruitment process and policies implemented to promote equal representation in leadership roles. Executive level support is essential for these initiatives to succeed. Women do not need to change; systems do. Leadership is not developed in isolation; it flourishes in environments where people have access to guidance, clear career pathways and the confidence that their contributions matter.
Jade Jensen
Managing Director
Fulcrum Collections
Celebrating women who bloom
As a proud sponsor of GWII’s Women’s Day event, Grace, Grit & Growth: A Season to Bloom, we’re celebrating the incredible women who make our industry brighter, bolder, and better every day. We believe in workplaces where women can grow, lead, and speak up. Diverse voices spark better ideas and a stronger industry for all of us. Here’s to backing the women shaping insurance’s future, and having a little fun while we’re at it. Happy blooming, ladies!
Johann Mynhardt
CEO
Paladin Underwriting Managers
Lifting women to lead
To foster true growth, organisations must transition from passive mentorship to active executive sponsorship. Real empowerment begins when women in leadership have the grit to intentionally lift other women into high-stakes roles, breaking barriers together. True leadership requires us to deeply understand each other’s unique challenges and actively advocate for one another behind closed doors. By anchoring our corporate structures in mutual support and grace, we ensure that women don’t just occupy space. When women fiercely back and understand women, we create an unstoppable collective force that actively shapes the future of leadership.
Seugnette van Wyngaard
Executive Head
1st for Women Insurance
Creating pathways to leadership
One practical step organisations can take today is to intentionally create visible pathways for women to grow and lead. This means going beyond policies by providing meaningful mentorship, access to decision-making spaces and opportunities to take on challenging roles. Women should feel empowered to contribute their perspectives, build confidence and lead authentically. When organisations actively recognise potential, remove unnecessary barriers and support women throughout their careers, they create an environment where grace and grit can translate into meaningful growth – and where more women are given the opportunity to bloom.
Tandiwe Cimela
Executive Head
Elite Risk Acceptances
