Every International Women’s Day, GB recognises and celebrates the accomplishments of the inspiring women we work with. This year we asked our GB fam to nominate an inspiring woman that they work with, and we were overwhelmed with many worthy nominations. After a tough process, nine women were selected to be profiled for 2021, based on their amazing leadership and accomplishments over the past 12 months.

All of the women featured in these interviews will represent GB at the Women in Insurance Leadership Summit.

Meet Sharon Kennedy, a new member to the GB family who has demonstrated dedication, hard work, patience and creativity from the second she joined our organisation five months ago. Sharon has more than 20 years’ experience within the insurance industry and has worked in a variety of roles for insurers and in employer-based roles within workers’ compensation. Sharon leads a team of Self Insurance specialists at GB who manage claims for clients in NSW, QLD, SA and VIC.

Sharon is equally as focused on her team, our clients and superior outcomes. She was nominated by a colleague who is inspired by Sharon’s ability to inspire better staff engagement and increase the capability of her team across the Self Insurance division. Within the first few weeks of Sharon commencing with GB she was responsible for transitioning two large clients, recriminating new staff, and ensuring operational readiness, a significant challenge during the pandemic and for being new to the business.

Sharon is a motivated and inspiring leader who has been instrumental in the growth and continued success of our Self Insurance business.

We sat down with Sharon to find out more about her:

What motivates or drives your passion for the insurance/risk management industry?
I am passionate about supporting both injured workers and companies to achieve positive outcomes at what can be a difficult and stressful time and as a team manager I can now support my team to do the same.

Working within the insurance industry has given me so many opportunities, I have been able to travel and work across every State in Australia and met some great people and gained a lot of knowledge along the way. Self-insurance is a fast-growing area especially within Gallagher Bassett. It is a fantastic career to enter into with so many varied roles and working options there are opportunities available for those who want them.

What do you like most about Gallagher Bassett in five words or less?
Great team culture and inclusion.

Describe how Gallagher Bassett is helping you face your future with confidence
Since starting with Gallagher Bassett, I have found it to be a fantastic place to work and the availability of flexible working options and remote working has enabled me to confidently balance both my work and family commitments without feeling like I have to choose one over the other.

I am part of an extremely supportive team and I feel like I am valued for the work I do. I can see that GB is willing to invest in the development of its people to support them in defining and progressing along their career path.

Who is your inspiration or role model?
There are so many people that I am inspired by but I particularly love listening to Georgie Harman, the CEO of Beyond Blue. She is an inspirational speaker and you can feel and see her passion for what she does when you listen to her.

What does equality mean to you?
Equality to me means a level playing field for everyone. I think traditionally it has been harder for women to progress in the workplace due to gender stereotypes around their ability and availability. I think it is really important to encourage women to not only take opportunities that are presented to them, but also to support them to seek out and create opportunities for themselves. I love to use my experience to teach and mentor others and support them to find ways around barriers to success.