Suzan Pardesi, Head of Energy at ASR, recently caught up with Insurance Business UK and reflected on her journey from being the only woman in engineering and insurance to a leading advocate for DE&I.
With her early experiences as the only female oil and gas engineer in the London market, she has seen progress, noting a growing number of women entering the industry. Suzan credits initiatives like the Dive In Festival for promoting inclusive cultures and driving real change in the insurance sector.
“At the time, I was the only female oil and gas engineer in the London market, and a woman of colour as well, so it was quite challenging, to say the least,” she said. “I’ve been [at ASR] for four years now and it’s safe to say, I now see a lot more women in the industry from the time that I started.”
Suzan discusses how DE&I conversations have shifted from mere representation to tackling systemic issues and fostering accountability and how these efforts must continue, with an emphasis on wellbeing and creating workplaces where all employees feel valued and included.
Read more on how she’s helping shape the future of insurance for the next generation here.