Leigh Potgieter
Assistant Marketing Manager
QSURE
Tell us a little about yourself and your insurance career.
I didn’t exactly go looking for a career in the insurance industry but having stumbled into it 15 years ago, I knew its diverse and challenging landscape was one that I wanted to be a part of. I have been fortunate in being able to forge my career within a single company, QSURE, where I worked in various roles and departments that allowed me to broaden my knowledge and skills under the guidance of several mentors and engage with many different industry players before finding my passion, eight years ago, in the field of Marketing. The ability to tap into my creative side each day is a privilege I truly appreciate and enjoy.
On a personal note, I am a small business owner, an avid traveller, a scuba diver and lover of animals.
How did you come to join the GWII?
I joined the GWII when it was first established back in 2014. Since then, I have watched it grow and evolve and am so excited to be able to join the Committee in its 10th year, a remarkable milestone I am honoured to be a part of.
Why do you believe this is an important forum for women in the insurance sector?
While big strides have been made in narrowing the gender disparity that is present across many industries and society, inequality is still a very real challenge women face every day. Having an industry body solely focused on building a platform to support both the professional and personal development of all women within our industry fills a very real need and helps to provide the tools for members to thrive. Allowing women to connect and share their knowledge can be a powerful influence on each member’s individual journey.
What excites you about the year ahead and the role you will be playing on the committee in 2024?
2024 will be the 10th anniversary of the GWII. I am looking forward to working with my fellow committee members to celebrate this wonderful milestone with our members and continue the important work our founding members started so many years ago.
Megan Brink
Head of Logistics and Fleet
Osprey Underwriting Managers
Tell us a little about yourself and your insurance career.
I am originally from Kimberley, where my insurance career started in 2008 as a broker with Libra Insurance Brokers. I was very privileged to have an amazing mentor and teacher who guided and helped me to build my career in insurance. In 2015, I made a life-changing decision and left my hometown for an opportunity in Johannesburg with one of the leading insurers in South Africa, Regent, which a year later was acquired by Hollard. I was the Business Development Manager for the Hollard Trucking division for Gauteng which covered all inland regions. Hollard provided me with a platform to further grow myself and my career. With the help and support of an amazing mentor, I spent 8 years with Hollard Trucking. In 2022, I made a bold decision to take up an opportunity with Osprey Underwriting Managers as the Head of Logistics and Fleet, which would broaden my insurance scope to new specialist lines and international insurance markets.
On a personal level, I have a passion for sport and competed on an international level in kickboxing, which gave me an opportunity early on in my life to travel to four different countries to compete with some of the top kickboxers the world has to offer.
How did you come to join the GWII?
I was introduced to the GWII through a fellow GWII member and good friend.
Why do you believe this is an important forum for women in the insurance sector?
I believe that women play a very powerful role in our industry and this forum allows us to be able to grow and support each other, all with one common goal - to grow the insurance industry into an industry where women will be a force to be reckoned with, bringing a different outlook and new ideas that in turn will support and grow the industry.
What excites you about the year ahead and the role you will be playing on the committee in 2024?
I look forward to 2024 as not only will this be the 10th year for GWII, but also a year for great potential and growth, new members, and new ideas. The year 2024 marks the year of the Dragon on the Chinese Zodiac - a highly anticipated year across the world. This year is set to be a prosperous year full of opportunity and pursuing dreams and goals with courage and confidence, which I believe aligns perfectly with the Vision of the GWII.
Nadia Gouws
Senior Client Manager
JHB Commercial
Aon South Africa
Tell us a little about yourself and your insurance career.
My love for people attracted me to the insurance industry and I have been involved in different sectors of this industry, ranging from long-term insurance, and funeral assistance business to the short-term insurance sector, which I am currently in now.
How did you come to join the GWII?
I have been part of the GWII as a member for the past three years and was inspired by the committee members and their dedicated approach to serving women in insurance.
Why do you believe this is an important forum for women in the insurance sector?
GWII represents the perfect platform for like-minded individuals to collaborate on all levels -intellectual, personal, and business.
What excites you about the year ahead and the role you will be playing on the committee in 2024?
I am very excited and proud to be part of this initiative and the ability to assist the team in reaching many women out there in this industry - while contributing to making a difference in the lives of these women on all levels such as educational, emotional, and physical.
Paulette Khumalo
Associate
Norton Rose Fulbright
Tell us a little about yourself and your insurance career.
I am an admitted attorney currently employed at Norton Rose Fulbright. I specialise in insurance-related litigation, dispute resolution and medical law. I am currently involved in insurance litigation concerning general liability claims, medical law, medical malpractice claims, forest and veld fires, and policy interpretation. I hold an LLB (Wits) and LLM (Wits) in Labour law, Human rights and Public Policy in the Marketplace. I completed my articles at Norton Rose Fulbright from 2018 to 2020 and joined the insurance litigation team in Johannesburg as an Associate in 2020.
How did you come to join the GWII?
Our insurance litigation team was encouraged to sign up as members of the GWII, and I have been a member since 2020. I did not know the impact of the role I could play in assisting to propel the objectives of the GWII, until I was able to interact directly with the incredible women in the GWII Committee and convince our firm to sponsor one of the 2023 Leader Walk events. During a sponsor cocktail event, I had some incredible conversations with the committee members and accidentally (very passionately) pitched my ideas for the mentorship, uplifting and development of women in the insurance industry, not knowing that I could be a member of such an incredible committee. I was encouraged to apply, and the rest is history!
Why do you believe this is an important forum for women in the insurance sector?
The insurance sector, like many sectors, is historically male-dominated. Once I began to attend GWII events, I was stunned to discover how many women had built successful careers in the insurance industry because I had been exposed to so few in my brief experience in the industry. To see women in positions that I hope to reach one day has been incredibly encouraging, and I think so many more young women would benefit from access to platforms that make them believe their dreams are possible. Representation is a big part of what motivates people to keep going. It shows us the possibilities that are within our reach. Through the promotion of networking, mentorship, education and intentional development, more women will be encouraged to join and grow the insurance industry.
What excites you about the year ahead and the role you will be playing on the committee in 2024?
I am incredibly passionate about participating in the improvement of any community that I participate in and have regularly found myself in roles that allow me to do this, however, most of these contributions have been outside of the scope of my role in the insurance industry. Now that I know I can, I am excited to contribute to the improvement and meaningful development of the growing community of women in insurance. I am excited to widen the access to mentorship and education to young women in insurance, like me, and to educate them about the opportunities available to them. I am excited to play my role as an active catalyst for positive change and growth in the community that I participate in daily!
Velene Peters
CEO
Charter Risk Underwriting Managers
Tell us a little about yourself and your insurance career.
Life is constantly changing, and we often find ourselves evolving into totally different people. The thing that once was a dream come true in our 20s no longer serves us in our 40s. And so, after a very successful career in fashion retail, as a buyer, I decided to venture into insurance. Not only has this career change brought with it challenges but it has been a wonderful growing experience and has allowed me to feed my entrepreneurial spirit while working in an industry many of my family members have always been in.
On the home front, I am a wife, mother of two teenagers, avid reader and “learner-golfer”.
How did you come to join the GWII?
As a newcomer to the industry, I was looking for an opportunity to network and meet like-minded women in the industry - GWII was the perfect organisation.
Why do you believe this is an important forum for women in the insurance sector?
Today's women, more than ever before, find themselves challenging traditional gender roles. We are driven to succeed in all our personal and professional roles. Professionally, GWII affords women the opportunity to be encouraged by one another, grow their networks and provides opportunities to learn.
What excites you about the year ahead and the role you will be playing on the committee in 2024?
To quote Ruth Bader Ginsburg, “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn't be that women are the exception.” I look forward to being part of a team which allows women the opportunity to and encourages women to take a seat at the table and to have their voices heard. I look forward to being an agent for change in the industry and I am thrilled at the prospect of networking with exceptional ladies in the industry.