Gauteng Women in Insurance (GWII) is pleased to announce that Shaazia Khan, has assumed the position of GWII President for 2023.
On behalf of Shaazia and the GWII Committee we would like to thank Catherine Naidoo (2022 GWII President) for all her efforts in leading the GWII during the past year. Catherine’s effort and contributions as President will always be appreciated.
Stepping in as the new President, Shaazia tells us about herself, how she came to join the GWII and why she believes she is suited to the position of President.
Tell us a little about yourself and your career in insurance.
My journey in the insurance industry began in 2013, as a Claims Handler at Saley’s Insurance. I had taken a gap year during my university years, found this position for a year, and thereafter resumed my studies. After I graduated at Wits with a double major in Finance and Marketing, and because of my year of insurance experience, which was a footing in the industry, I applied at Coface South Africa for an intern position. Once appointed, within 4 years I worked my way up to the Marketing and Communications Manager position. I am quite proud of the quick growth, it definitely speaks to my passion for advancement and development, and I am learning every day.
I am fortunate that the role GWII has played over the past 3 years has positively influenced my experience and exposure in the insurance industry; I have only been in the industry for 8 years and believe I am already making an impact, and now, I can proudly say I am also the first millennial President of GWII.
On a personal note, I am undeniably enjoying being a mom to my 4-year-old, the sweetest little girl. I am also fascinated by fashion and style, and I am a huge foodie, but who isn’t these days.
How did you come to join the GWII?
I have always been passionate about women empowerment, being a woman of color, from a deeply cultured background; I knew I had a part to play in the empowerment of women but also continue the focus of gender equality.
Thankfully, when I joined the Coface South Africa team, I was given the opportunity to work closely with Business Engage and the 30% Club, this ignited my passion to make a difference even further and I started attending the GWII events to network, have exposure to personal and professional development opportunities and grow my footprint in the industry.
In 2020, I received a call and was asked if I was interested in joining the committee – as soon as I had the support from Coface South Africa, I said yes, and the rest is probably all-over social media. GWII has been at the heart of many successful stories of women empowerment in the industry and I am proud to say that I have at least been a part of one of them.
What is the purpose of GWII?
GWII’s value proposition speaks to the development of women; women deserve to be celebrated for their extraordinary contributions to society, remarkable triumphs and unmatched courage. Despite gender inequalities across all sectors, women continue to thrive and beat the odds. I have a great appreciation for the GWII’s mission and vision, which is – striving to build a sustainable platform for all women in the insurance industry by offering opportunities to support both the professional and personal advancement of women, through relevant networking and leadership programmes. At the same time, we give back to society and the environment by partnering with charitable initiatives that share our vision.
Why do you believe you are suited to the position of President?
Firstly, I am humbled and would like to say a huge thank you to my fellow committee members who were confident enough in me to vote me in as the youngest and first millennial president. This is an absolute honor and having engaged with the founding members and past presidents, I have to say their commitment and dedication to making an impact is both outstanding and inspiring.
My passion for the liberation of women in corporates started with my career 8 years ago, and I have come to understand the struggles women had faced in the environment from stories I have heard over the years - since I have not experienced this in entirety myself, this already speaks to how much work has been done and how our industry has evolved over the years. I personally appreciate all the diligence and growth that has been made in the industry. I am here to continue this - hoping to lead the organization and serve the industry with authenticity and integrity, as best as I can, by continuing to focus our efforts on the development of women in the short-term insurance industry.
In the President’s shoes… what qualities do you believe are important to have?
In my experience over the years, I have been fortunate to have had credible, successful and motivating leaders who have guided and inspired me to set goals and achieve them. This has resulted in me being a more sophisticated professional who strives for growth, with resilience being one of my maturing qualities. With all of the above, as well as having my beliefs and values aligned with those of the GWII, I have confidence that what I will bring to the committee as the president will assist us in achieving our objectives. Being the first millennial president GWII will have, in 2023 we will “stay woke” – I want to be fearless, lead with integrity, communicate effectively, and make a difference, big enough to empower, motivate and inspire others. I intend to bring fresh and dynamic concepts to the committee this year. I have no doubt that there will be challenges, but I am ready to face them head on with the support of the committee to develop the industry, as well as myself.
No doubt you’re very proud of your institute. But is there anything you’d particularly like to improve or introduce during your tenure, and make it even better? In other words, what will you be bringing to the table?
Over the years, I have heard many individuals in the industry say this and I am sure you have heard this too, “I ended up in the insurance industry by default”.
This brings opportunity for young individuals to consciously learn, develop, and choose the insurance industry to build a career. Being part of the Coface South Africa team, I have seen the focus in transforming and promoting young individuals through training and development.
The insurance industry has seen great progress in recent years, in terms of gender diversity. Women representation within leadership roles have developed and we are at a point in time where there is a great focus to improve on this - this is where I will be focusing my efforts – working towards closing the gap of women in leadership roles as there is still a lack within our industry.
Diverse and inclusive culture is a personal focus area, and I intend to assist in improving the levels of transformation within the industry. With the GWII, we will continue to bring diversified leadership opportunities, and a platform for building networks. A quote by Nellie Borrero, the Managing Director for Global Inclusion & Diversity at Accenture, which I believe to be so relevant “Diversity is a fact, but inclusion is a choice we make every day. As leaders, we have to put out the message that we embrace and not just tolerate diversity.” “Inclusion is not a matter of political correctness. It is the key to growth.”
I am also excited to have the opportunity to work with an exceptional team of women to execute our objectives!
Being involved with the GWII suggests furthering yourself, your peers and your industry. Which of the three is most important to you?
All three have the same level of importance to me. I cannot see how an opportunity provided in the industry cannot support the industry, the growth of my peers and ultimately my growth. My role in the committee will be to serve the insurance industry and reach as many of my peers as possible and I have no doubt that I will learn and grow from the journey myself. Giving back has always been the most rewarding element of my involvement in the GWII and I intend to do this with the utmost level of commitment.
Going into 2023, what can GWII members expect, in terms of events?
We have received such positive feedback on the events hosted this year and will be continuing with the hybrid approach in 2023. Our Networking events, Mix ‘n Mingles, Women’s Day Event and some LeaderWalks will be in-person. Our CPD event reaches a bigger audience virtually, so we will continue doing those virtually. We are launching the Wild Programme and I encourage you to put forward females in your organisations for this program – the content has been fleshed out to ensure that ladies are empowering their authenticity in every aspect of their lives. GWII is constantly evolving and striving for improvement, so we will be offering more opportunities through collaboration with other initiatives. We have some great activities coming up for our events this year - watch this space!
Do you have any last words you wish to share with our readers as we head into the year 2023?
The way in which this industry advances and transforms is at the core of GWII – we are here to invest in our women - support and provide the best tools to enable and push them into leadership roles. GWII has personally provided me with a platform to build relationships, take advantage of both personal and professional development opportunities and feel empowered and inspired to push myself to greater strengths. If I have been this fortunate in my experience as a GWII member, I am 100% certain that all women within the industry could gain as much value as I have, through relevant networking and leadership programmes. In addition, something I hold quite close to my heart are CSI focused projects and GWII has always given back to society, and the environment, by collaborating with charitable initiatives making a difference in the world. Thank you again to the committee for voting me in as your president for 2023, your faith in me is humbling and I am excited for the year ahead. Our focus on adding value to you, our members, through collaboration, promoting the professional and personal development of women as well as encouraging young women to join the industry will continue.
Your message to members?
I’ll keep this one short. The industry is filled with amazing women, women who can mentor, support, guide, inspire, motivate, provide opportunities and show you a good time. The GWII is committed to our industry, sponsors and members, so I encourage you to connect with GWII – network with our ladies, listen to their stories, share yours, and give yourselves the opportunity to unleash the best authentic version of you. I would like to thank Coface South Africa, for giving me the opportunity and time to dedicate to the presidency role.
Join the GWII in 2023 - we have so much in store for you that we don’t want you to miss out on! I am so excited and keen to walk this journey of transformation with you! Please feel free to engage with me at any point.