Dossier Femme Assurance UK Version

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[dossier]

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CONTENTS 38 – Women in Europe’s

insurance industry [ DOSSIER ]

[ DOSSIER ]

L’europe

des femmes

LA FÉMINISATION DE L’ENCADREMENT

dans l’assurance

1.

4. Espagne 25 5. Italie 22

LES FEMMES PARMI LES NON-CADRES

%

%

PRÉSENCE DANS LES COMITÉS EXÉCUTIFS OU DE DIRECTION

France 69,1 %

2. Espagne

60 %

1.

3. Allemagne 50 %

POURCENTAGE DANS LES RECRUTEMENTS

Q

uelle est la place des femmes da ns l’assur a nc e e u r op é en ne ? Telle est la question que L’Argus de l’assurance s’est posée au moment de réaliser ce premier Observatoire traitant de cette question. Ce dernier se nourrit d’une étude exclusive, produite à partir de données publiques et pour laquelle cinq pays ont été mis sur le grill,

l’Allemagne, l’Espagne, la France, l’Italie et le Royaume-Uni. Premier constat : dans tous ces pays, la parité est respectée dans l’effectif salarié total du secteur. En France, l’assurance est même largement féminisée (59 %) et devrait le rester longtemps, puisque 58 % des nouveaux entrants dans la vie professionnelle sont des femmes. Pour autant, passé les premiers échelons hiérarchiques,

Espagne 5 % 3,6 %

2. Allemagne (au sein des 59 premiers groupes d’assurance allemands)

France 58 %

OBSERVATOIRE L’ARGUS DE L’ASSURANCE-ALLIANZ

1.

N. B. : la France, l’Italie et le Royaume-Uni ne communiquent pas sur cette donnée. Pour autant, dans toutes les entreprises que nous avons interrogées, la part des femmes dans les comités de direction reste minime.

2. Italie 51 % 3. Espagne 51 %

■ L’Argus de

l’assurance a réalisé, en partenariat avec Allianz, le premier Observatoire européen des femmes dans l’assurance. Résultat : dans tous les pays européens, la parité est loin d’être respectée, passé les premiers échelons hiérarchiques.

25 et 35 % de managers

12 35 %

3. Allemagne entre et (selon le niveau d’encadrement)

France 59,1 %

1.

France 46,2 %

2. Royaume-Uni entre

PART DANS L’EFFECTIF TOTAL DU SECTEUR

1.

2. Italie 52 % 3. Royaume-Uni 50 % 4. Allemagne 50 % 5. Espagne 49 %

catégorie) sont quasiment aussi nombreuses que leurs homologues masculins, les Espagnoles (25 %) et les Ita liennes (22 %) sont clairement sous-représentées. Les raisons ? Dans la péninsule ibérique, les politiques publiques en matière d’égalité entre les sexes ne sont pas assez engagées (lire page 44) et freineraient les femmes dans leur évolution de carrière. Alors qu’en Italie, loin

les femmes peinent à atteindre les fonctions managériales. Quel que soit le pays observé, leur part dans l’encadrement est toujours minoritaire.

Partout, le plafond de verre Cependant, des différences apparaissent entre les cinq pays étudiés. Car si les cadres françaises (46,2 % de l’ef fect if de cette

des stéréotypes, la cause au faible taux d’encadrement serait plutôt à aller chercher du côté du travail à temps partiel (lire page 46). Très répandus chez les femmes, ces emplois ne seraient pas forcément favorables à la promotion. Dans ce contexte, on comprend mieu x pourquoi les femmes européennes sont encore plus faiblement représentées dans les fonctions de décision. Des

postes de haut niveau qu’elles atteindraient d’ailleurs, tous pays confondus, plus facilement da ns les f i l ières ressou rces huma ines et ma rket ing que techniques et opérationnelles.

L’écart reste grand, mais le processus est lancé En France, les femmes ne représentent que 27,7 % des cadres de direction. Néanmoins, ce chiffre

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doit être relativisé, parce qu’il est en constante augmentation. « Il y a dix ans, ce taux s’établissait à 16,4 %. Cela signifie que nous sommes désormais dans un processus vertueux, dans lequel les entreprises veulent favoriser l’accès des femmes à des fonctions de direction. Sans aller jusqu’à parler de discrimination positive, il y a un donc un phénomène de rattrapage qui s’opère en •••

41 – France: parity in sight 42 – Germany: a question of quotas

44 – Spain: private initiatives 46 – Italy: in the name of the law [ DOSSIER ]

[ DOSSIER ] FEMMES - ASSURANCE

52 % de l’effectif total 22 % parmi les cadres 13 % des dirigeants 51 % des nouveaux entrants

MARIA BIANCA FARINA

1 % de femmes PDG

Italie

Au nom de la loi

Force commerciale

Depuis 2007, Maria Bianca Farina dirige d’une main de fer Poste Vita, la compagnie d’assurance vie de la Poste. Elle est considérée comme la « Madame assurances » de la péninsule, seule et unique Italienne à occuper un poste de cette envergure dans la branche. Elle a consacré toute sa carrière à ce secteur en débutant en 1963 dans la compagnie publique INA Vita, à l’époque l’un des principaux groupes d’assurances transalpins. Grimpant tous les échelons jusqu’à la vice-direction générale, elle gère la privatisation de la compagnie reprise en 1999 par le groupe Generali. Au bout de quarante ans de carrière, alors qu’elle a l’occasion de se retirer professionnellement, elle quitte le « lion de Trieste » pour prendre la direction de Poste Vita, l’une des plus petites compagnies du pays. En quelques années, elle va la transformer en un géant, qui se hisse aujourd’hui au deuxième rang dans la branche assurance vie et est devenu le quatrième groupe d’assurances en Italie. ■

Diplômée en sciences politiques, Federica Aletto a démarré sa carrière dans le secteur bancaire. Elle s’est ensuite consacrée à des activités académiques dans le domaine juridique avant de bifurquer vers l’assurance. Elle rejoint Genertel en 1994, l’année où est créée par Generali cette toute première compagnie de vente directe du marché italien. Cette start-up se transforme en quelques années en l’un des principaux opérateurs du secteur. Federica Aletto accompagne avec succès le développement de la société de Trieste, en y gravissant toutes les marches, du centre de contacts pour les ventes aux opérations d’assurances, avant d’être nommée directrice commerciale. Depuis janvier 2012, Federica Alletto occupe le poste de vice-directrice générale de Genertel et de Genertel Life, la première compagnie italienne de vente directe en assurance vie et prévoyance. ■

ISABELLA FUMAGALLI

For the first time, the Argus de l’Assurance observed the role women play in companies within this industry in France and in four other European countries: Germany, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom. The verdict: although efforts are being made in all of these countries to promote professional diversity, parity is far from being achieved at all levels. Women, in particular, struggle to obtain senior management positions.

La secrétaire, c’est le patron

éputée pour son machisme et sa société matriarcale, l’Italie évolue doucement. Les femmes qui travaillent sont passées de 7,6 millions en 1993 à 9,3 millions en 2011, selon l’Istat, l’institut italien de la statistique. Pourtant, avec un taux d’emploi féminin de 47,2 %, la péninsule arrive en queue de peloton en Europe, et cette hausse cache une réalité moins glorieuse : près de 30 % de ces femmes sont employées à temps partiel et occupent davantage de postes précaires que les hommes. Employées surtout dans le nord du pays et dans le secteur tertiaire, elles sont moins payées que les hommes, même si leur niveau d’instruction est en moyenne supérieur. Il n’est donc pas étonnant que les Italiennes se trouvent reléguées à la portion congrue dans les hautes sphères des sociétés. Alors que la présence féminine à des postes de direction dans les entreprises privées se situe autour de 33 % en Europe, le taux est de 11,9 % en Italie, selon des données publiées

DR

« Par le passé, il m’est arrivé plus d’une fois d’être prise pour la secrétaire de l’administrateur délégué... qui n’est autre que moi-même ! » L’anecdote est rapportée par Isabella Fumagalli, responsable de Cardif pour l’Italie. Diplômée à l’université Bocconi de Milan, après une expérience de consultante chez JP Morgan, cette brillante manager, mère de deux enfants, entre chez Cardif en 1999. Elle suit le développement de l’activité en assurance vie de l’Espagne jusqu’en 2002, quand elle est nommée administratrice déléguée et directrice générale de Cardif Assicurazioni. Placée à la tête de l’Europe centrale et du Sud à partir de 2008, elle promeut la croissance stratégique de la compagnie dans dix pays. En 2010, elle intègre le comité exécutif de BNP Paribas-Cardif. Aujourd’hui âgée de 44 ans, elle s’occupe du développement de l’ensemble des canaux de distribution et des partenariats dans la péninsule, devenue le deuxième marché du bancassureur français. ■

R

DR

■ Longtemps à la traîne en matière de parité, la péninsule vient de se doter d’une loi introduisant un quota de présence féminine dans les conseils d’administration des sociétés cotées et des groupes publics.

FEDERICA ALETTO

Seule au sommet

HERVÉ THOUROUDE/BNP PARIBAS

du secteur

The European Observatory of women in insurance

en mars par l’association Manager Italia. Une étude effectuée en 2010 par le cabinet de conseil GEA évaluait à seulement 6,9 % le nombre de femmes aux « postes de commande » en Italie, principalement dans le textile-habillement et la pharmacie.

Le secteur le plus arriéré Les assurances sont, avec le secteur bancaire, parmi les moins ouverts à la féminisation du management. Certes, la répartition des

effectifs dans les compagnies est à peu près paritaire (24 005 hommes contre 21 803 femmes). Pour autant, seule 1 femme sur 150 employées parvient à obtenir un poste de dirigeant, contre 1 homme sur 20, selon l’Association nationale des entreprises d’assurances italiennes. « Le monde des assurances italien, et de la finance en général, est le secteur le plus arriéré. Les femmes y sont présentes, mais guère dans les plus hautes sphères. Quand c’est le cas, elles proviennent

pour la plupart de sociétés de consultants. Et on les trouve à des postes à responsabilités surtout dans les compagnies de vente directe ou des business units (1). Les compagnies restent très traditionnelles et privilégient les carrières en interne, et surtout masculines », indique Maurizia Villa, directeur général du cabinet de recrutement Korn/Ferry Italie. La situation devrait évoluer grâce à la nouvelle loi sur la féminisation des conseils d’administration

et de leurs organes de contrôle d’ici à 2015 et 30 % après cette date. « En quelques mois, cette loi a déjà permis de faire un bond de 3 points : la présence des femmes dans les conseils d’administration est passée de 7 % l’an dernier à près de 10 % aujourd’hui, alors qu’elle ne progressait que de 0,5 % par an jusque-là. En 2009, par exemple, le taux était de 6 %. En revanche, leur présence parmi les cadres supérieurs dans les assurances, un monde fortement masculin, est

entrée en vigueur en août. Elle oblige les sociétés privées cotées ainsi que les groupes publics à nommer 20 % de femmes au sein de leur conseil d’administration

" Les compagnies privilégient les carrières masculines. "

Maurizia Villa, DG de Korn/Ferry Italie

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encore limitée. Sur un total de 768 membres de conseils d’administration, nous avons dénombré 31 femmes, soit 4 %. Ce pourcentage monte à 6 % si l’on ne prend en compte que les 10 premières compagnies italiennes », constate Enzo Losito Bellavigna, partner (associé) de GEA, qui a lancé cette année une formation consacrée aux « Femmes dans les conseils d’administration ». ■ JEANNE SALSON, À ROME 1. Centres de profits filiales de groupes. •••

48 – United Kingdom: a still selective clubt L’ A rgus de l’ A ssu r a nce . 0 0 moi s 2011 . a rg usdelassu ra n ce. com

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[ report ]

Women in Europe’s

insurance industry TOTAL PROPORTION OF WOMEN WITHIN THE INDUSTRY

1.

France 59,1%

2. Italy 52% 3. United Kingdom 50% 4. Germany 50% 5. Spain 49%

PROPORTION OF WOMEN IN NON-MANAGERIAL POSITIONS

1.

France 69,1%

2. Spain

3. Germany 50%

PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN AMONG NEW HIRES

1. ■■ The Argus de

l’assurance, in a partnership with Allianz, conducted the first European Observatory of women in the insurance industry. The result: throughout Europe, parity is far from being met once you get past the first steps on the corporate ladder.

60%

France 58%

2. Italy 51%

3. Spain 51%

W

here do women fit in within European insurance companies? That is the question that came up when the Argus de l’Assurance started conducting this first Observatory on the subject. This Observatory was based on an exclusive study, produced using publicly available data and in which five countries were

placed under the microscope: Germany, Spain, France, Italy and the United Kingdom. The first observation: in all of these countries, parity is respected in terms of the total number of employees in the industry. In France, the insurance industry is even largely feminine (59%) and it should remain so for a long time, since 58% of new h i res a re women. However,

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beyond the first steps on the corporate ladder, women have a hard time reaching managerial p osit ion s. No m at ter w h at country we’re looking at, women remain a minority as far as managers are concerned.

An omnipresent «glass ceiling» Nevertheless, differences appear between the five countries


[ report ]

THE FEMINISATION OF MANAGEMENT

1.

France 46,2%

2. United Kingdom between 3. Germany

25 and 35% of managers

12 35%

and (depending on the level of supervision)

4. Spain 25% 5. Italy 22%

PRESENCE OF WOMEN IN EXECUTIVE OR MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES

1.

Spain 5%

2. Germany

3,6%

(within the 59 largest insurance groups in Germany)

Note: France, Italy and the United Kingdom do not communicate this type of data. However, in all of the companies we surveyed, the proportion of women in executive committees remains minimal.

«women in europe’s insurance industry» observatory

t h at w er e e x a m i ne d . Ev en t houg h t here a re a l most a s many female managers as male ones (46.2% , compared w ith 53.8% in this category), in Spain and Italy they are clearly underrepresented (25% and 22% respectively). The reasons? In the Iberian peninsula, public policy i n ter ms of gender equa l it y hasn’t been developed enough (see page 44) and is seen as im-

peding women in their career d e v e l o p m e n t . I n It a l y, meanwhile, stereotypes are not to blame; the low proportion of managers is rather the result of part-time work (see page 46). These jobs, which are more prevalent among women, are not necessarily conducive to promotions. In this context, it is easy to understand why European women

are more poorly represented in exec ut ive-level posit ion s. Moreover, they have an easier time reaching such positions in human resources and marketing areas than they do in technical and operational ones, and this is true in all countries.

The gap is still large, but the process has started In France, women represent

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only 27.7% of executives. Nevertheless, this figure must be put i nto c ontex t, be c au s e it i s consta nt ly i ncrea si ng. «Ten years ago, the proportion stood at 16.4%. This means that we are now in a virtuous cycle, in which companies want to facilitate women’s access to leadership positions. Without going as far as talking about positive discrimination, we are never- •••


[ report ] Working women, in all industries PRESENCE OF WOMEN ON BOARDS OF DIRECTORS

1. France 20,8%

(CAC 40 index companies) 2. United Kingdom 15,6% (in the 100 largest publicly listed companies, FTSE 100 index)

PROPORTION WOMEN Part des OF femmes dans la IN THE WORKFORCE population active

1. France 47,7% 2. United Kingdom 46% 3. Germany 45,8% 4. Spain 44% 5. Italy 41%

3. Spain 11% (publicly listed companies)

4. Italy 9,75% 5. Germany 2,2%

EMPLOYMENT RATE OF WOMEN

1. Germany 70% 2. United Kingdom 3. France 59,7% 4. Spain 55,5% 5. Italy 47,2%

66,1%

(DAX 30 index companies)

FEMALE LEADERSHIP IN COMPANIES PROPORTION OF FEMALE GRADUATES OF HIGHER EDUCATION

1. France 63,8% (3-year degree and above)

2. United Kingdom 3. Italy 56,7% 4. Spain 52% 5. Germany 40%

••• theless seeing a catch-up phenomenon favouring women in leadership positions », says Norbert Girard, general secretary of the Observatory of the evolution of insurance careers. In order to move towards greater diversity, French companies (see page 41) are setting up major init iat ives w it h i n t hei r tea ms. However, given the composition of executive committees and

57%

1. France 34% 2. United Kingdom 33,2% 3. Spain 30% 4. Germany 27,7% Sources for the entire report n Germany AGV (insurance employers’ association) 2010, DIW (German Institute for Economic Research), OECD, Destatis (German version of INSEE), Bundesagentur für Arbeit (German employment centre) n Spain ICEA (institute of cooperation between insurance entities) 2011, 2011 PWC report, INE (national statistics institute) n France INSEE, 2012 Observatory Report on insurance employees’ professions, APEC 2011, CapitalCom n Italy ANIA (national association of insurance companies) 2011, Istat (National Institute of Statistics) 2012, Bank of Italy, Corriere della Serra (Italian newspaper) 2012 n United Kingdom Surveyed insurers, GMI Ratings, ONS (Office for National Statistics), HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency), UK CES (Commission for Employment and Skills) 2010, Cranfield University n All countries Eurostat

boards of directors, the road to parity is still long, in France and elsewhere. In Europe’s leading economy, Germany, women only represent 3.6% of those in the executive committees of the 59 largest insurance groups. Worse, according to our survey, no woman beyond the Rhine (see page 42) is president of a management board. In terms of access to insurance companies’ decision-

making bodies, Italy and the United Kingdom are not much better off.

The necessary political resolve Never t heless, i n t hese t wo countries, emerging political forces are striving to change things. Last August, in Italy, a law came into effect requiring private companies to have at

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least 20% of women within their boards of directors by 2015. In the United Kingdom, Lord Davies (see page 48) set the bar even higher, recommending that this level reach 25% within two years. In short, despite still significant differences between the two sexes, change is on the way. And this is true throughout Europe. n Nicolas Thouet


[ report ]

WOMEN - INSURANCE

59,1% of all employees 69,1% of non-managers 46,2% of managers 27,7% of executives 58,0% of new hires

manager at the Lyon wholesale broker. Allianz France, which has 25% of women in its executive teams, aims to drive that figure up to 30% by 2015. «We are setting up «mentoring» (1) and coaching programmes for women who have been identified as having high potential», says Marie-Cécile Lebard, director of sustainable development and diversity. Another initiative launched this year: the Axa Mix’In programme. «This internal network, which is open to both men and women, is dedicated to promoting diversity within the company’s French entities», says its president, Delphine Maisonneuve, who is also director of the professionals market at Axa France. Boasting five hundred members, this network represents one in a series of efforts (awa-

France

Parity in sight ■■ Insurance companies, who now implement

diversity policies, have made the promotion of women to leadership positions one of their priorities.

Willingness and method However, this low percentage is expected to rise in the coming years, as the promotion of women to strategic positions is currently a major topic within companies. At April, where the proportion of female executives continues to grow (from 5% to 14% between 2009 and 2011), «a frame agreement

exists within the group to support their subsidiaries’ efforts to implement their equal opportunity policy. One of their initiatives is the increase in the number of women in the executive teams», explains Sigrid Sauron, legal and social law

Yves Laqueille, PRESIDENT OF THE FFSA’S SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND HR DIRECTOR AT ALLIANZ FRANCE

« The 2008 agreement has paid off » n How do you explain the fact that

insurance companies in France are more advanced than their European counterparts in terms of gender parity? Promoting the role of women in insurance companies is a strong commitment within the industry, which signed an agreement in late 2008 relating to gender balance and diversity, which notably includes the follow-up of actions which aim to promote diversity, the balance between professional and personal lives and awareness. As a result, from this date on, the proportion of women in management roles has already sharply increased.

perenom luc

A

re women the stronger sex of insurance? This is what one might think after taking a look at FFSA and Gema figures. According to the 2012 Observatory report on insurance employees’ professions, they represent 59.1% of the total workforce. This proportion is not about to be reversed, as 58% of new hires in the profession are women. However, not all is rosy in the sector. «The more technical jobs are, the less women there are» says Béatrice Honnoré, savings and retirement studies director at Generali. Largely under-represented in certain job categories (logistics, information systems, technical control and prevention...), women are also underrepresented at the highest hierarchical levels. According to the 2012 Observatory report (Roma), they represent only 27.7% of executives.

n What do we still need to improve in the management of human

resources to promote diversity? When hiring, we need to make sure that room is made for women, even for roles that are traditionally male-dominated. In terms of career management and the development of skills, attention must be paid to working conditions which favour a better balance between professional and personal lives. It is also important that we create conditions that are favourable for both parenting as well as the development of high potential individuals so that women can more easily access executive positions.

reness and training for managers, improved talent management processes, development of telecommuting...) carried out by the company to promote women’s access to management positions. These actions have allowed Axa to receive, in October and for the third time, AFNOR’s Equality Label.

Networks and mentors Designed to make certain job profiles more visible, these aggressive policies are also an opportunity to encourage vocations. Although they sometimes overlook female talent, it’s not always human resources’ fault. «Women often believe that when they do their job properly, their employer will obviously recognise this and offer them a promotion. However, this isn’t necessarily the way that a company operates », observes Delphine Maisonneuve. Exchanges of experiences and testimonies within mentoring programmes and corporate networks thereby allow «promotion candidates» to meet female executives who have succeeded in balancing their careers and their personal lives. «As soon as you show these women what is possible, they tear down the barriers that they had imagined and they no longer hesitate to apply for high-responsibility positions», says Sophie Vernay, general delegate at Financi’Elles. As proof of the reactivity of women’s associations, this industry federation which includes several internal networks of female managers within the banking, finance and insurance industry - already has 3,500 members only a year and a half after its creation. n Nicolas Thouet 1. A mentor advises a woman on her career development.

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[ report ]

WOMEN - INSURANCE

50% of all employees ions 12% in level 1 positlevel) (just below the board

ittees 3,6% in executive comm insurance groups in Germany’s 59 largest

s do not have 76,7% of insurance group tive boards any women on their execu

monthly salary €3,859 average gross the same job role, for female managers. For men receive €4,910

Germany

A question of quotas ■■ In a culture dominated

by the housewife, few women claim their right to high-responsibility positions. Nevertheless, insurers are more than willing to give women a taste of power.

A

lmost an insult in Germany, the term «quota woman» once referred (a decade ago) to a woman who obtained her position - whether political or salaried - thanks to a quota-based system. The term no longer exists now. And even though Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, still categorically refuses to institutionalise them, quotas have become the next big issue that companies need to tackle. Female executives

are the first ones to want such quotas, fully aware that things won’t change without them. The election of a female head of state, seven years ago, has changed nothing in terms of a woman’s place within Europe’s largest economy. Even worse, as of the 1st of January next year, a monthly allowance of €150 will be given to parents who keep their children under 3 at home. Critics denounce it and refer to it as a «kit-

Jutta Krienke

A winning calculation

dr

Two hemispheres. Jutta Krienke based her career on both of them: with a degree in mathematics and a doctorate degree in literature, she dedicated her efforts to translating insurance techniques into language that is understandable to the client. She got her start at HDI Gerling, where her successful development of a retirement product propelled her to the upper floors. After that, she was hired by Allianz Leben, where - until recently - she ran the business development department. «My math skills most certainly provided me with recognition. But I had to pair this knowledge with a highly operational application of these skills in my work. I was under the constant impression that I had to impose myself more than any man would have to!» After climbing the corporate ladder at full speed up to the floors where women are scarce, in early October she was promoted to an executive position at BCA, a wholesale broker. Jutta Krienke says that she «makes decisions in a very determined manner - a quality often associated with men - but also leads teams using a quite feminine intuition». n L’ A rgus de l’ A ssuranc e. No  7293 . 7 Decem ber 2012 . a rg usdelassu ra n ce. com

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chen premium». It therefore comes as no surprise that in this country where childcare centres are rare, where the school day ends at 13:00 and where one salary is often enough to support a family, few German women elect to replace the «Kinder, Küche, Kirche» (children, kitchen, church) triptych with a Karriere (career).

A policy of numbers The figures, which indicate that 70% of German women work, are a bit misleading. 46% of these jobs (1) are part-time jobs, and some are even what can be referred to as «mini-jobs». Two-thirds of these tax-exempt jobs, paid €450 per month, are occupied by women. And for the 2.2% of women who hold boardroom positions within one of the top hundred German companies (2), the dilemma of having to choose between motherhood and a career has popped up at one time or another. The insurance industry, which ranks in the middle with more than 50% of female administrative and business staff, is no exception to this trend. According to the AGV, the insurance employers’ union, women represent just 4% of those in the «upper floors». Although members of parliament are still blocking legislation pertaining to quotas for supervisory boards of companies included in the DAX 30 (the German equivalent of France’s CAC 40), some companies have taken the bull by its horns and made this issue a priority. For example, insurer Gothaer has set some targets for 2016: 15% of female executives, 20% in middle management and 40% within the third level. Allianz, who appointed Helga


ingo dumreicher fotografie

Daniela Breidbach

A woman of resources Showing and demonstrating… Not to get back at anyone, nor to be provocative, but to achieve what she felt destined for: leading both people and projects. Daniela Breidbach first turned to law school, to ensure access to a wide range of occupations. During her career at Allianz, she continued to renew her horizons. «I have always demonstrated an interest in new challenges, in new high-responsibility positions, such as

Jung to its Executive Board this year - the first woman in the company’s history - has given itself an objective of 30% of women in leadership positions from now until 2015. To gain the six points that it’s missing, the insurance group has created a «talent-pool». «Every time a high-responsibility position becomes available again, at least one woman must be given a shot at the job», explains Daniela Breidbach, HR director at Allianz AG. This executive convinced the board of directors that women who take a maternity

those requiring lots of flexibility», says the mother of three, who didn’t hesitate to leave Allianz Leben in Stuttgart to take on the HR Director position at Allianz Deutschland AG. She acknowledges that she was fortunate enough to have superiors with an open mind, a condition she says is necessary for women to be promoted in their companies. «Managers’ mentalities need to change and organisations need to facilitate women’s access to management positions», she says, urging women to come out of their shells. Since her own experience has taught her that one shouldn’t just leave things to chance, or to those one works with, or the goodwill of one’s superiors, Daniela Breitbach launched a structure at Allianz that institutionalises the promotion of women to top management positions. And, once again, her company’s executive board supported her effort. n

leave should be able to reclaim their management position when they get back as well as adjust their schedules. Meanwhile, business breakfasts are organised within the group so that the women can benefit from greater visibility and to incite them to seek higher-level positions.

Adelheid Marscheider

A committed broker Her career has been an uphill battle. First, she had three children, which is no simple feat in a country where childcare centres are rare. Followed by twelve years in Saudi Arabia, where she followed her husband, a building engineer. Once she returned to Germany, more determined than ever to work again, she went back to school in order to eventually open her own brokerage firm. «If I didn’t have any ambition, I never would have succeeded. But another important thing was my know-how, which ensured that my clients, business owners and local authorities accepted me.» It took a certain degree of recklessness for her to establish her firm in the heart of conservative Bavaria. «You need to be efficient, but there is no need to be bossy or give up your feminine personality.» Backed by her beliefs, six years ago she was appointed vice-president of Germany’s brokerage union, a job she wanted in order to make things happen and, more importantly, to set an example. «If I succeed, other women can also succeed», says Marscheider, who created a network of female executives a year ago, which includes an offer to coach younger members. n

men – such as the VDVM FrauenNetzwerk (for female brokers), founded by Adelheid Marscheider or even Swiss Re’s network, which was created in 2008. They coach the younger employees and actively promote their actions in both universities and trade fairs. And on 24 October, a forum dedicated to women was held for the first time at the DKM, the professional German bancassurance forum. Nevertheless, their approach has nothing to do with their preceding feminist counterparts. They can now count on the support of their

A demographic fatality As with other insurance players, at Allianz it is those women who have «made it» that are driving this change. They are discovering networks – traditionally used by

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[ report ]

superiors. This is true because, as Sabine Brunotte, a marketing and communications insurance consultant, points out, «47% of German companies expect a shortage of qualified personnel by 2015 and, in 2025, our country will be short of 6.5 million workers». For the 6 million women who are eligible to work but are now absent from the workforce, it is therefore high time that they jump into the race. n Marie Luginsland, à Francfort 1. Eurostat, mars 2012. 2. DIW Frauenbarometer, mars 2011.

•••


[ report ] WOMEN - INSURANCE

49% of all employees 25% of the management population

Flavia Rodriguez-Ponga

efe

5% in executive committees 51% of new hires in the industry

High authority

Spain

Private initiatives ■■ Despite some

progress, equality between men and women has yet to become a reality. Insurers are not so much to blame as are the lack of public measures needed to support the progress that has been made in the field.

T

echo de cristal, is the glass ceiling that has long prevented Spanish women from progressing beyond a certain level in their careers. During the last ten years, the situation has improved, especially in the insurance industry. At Mapfre, the leading insurance group, women represent 23% of all middle managers and 14% of senior executives. At Axa (3,800 employees below the Pyrenees mountains), these figures are 35% and 21%, respectively. The equality trophy goes to the leading direct insurance company, Linea Directa, where more than 60% of all jobs and 50% of management positions are held by women. It should be noted that this is a relatively young company which, moreover, was chaired by a woman for two years,

Now that Spanish insurance groups are going through difficult times (especially after the calling into question of many bancassurance agreements), someone has to face the difficult task of supervising the industry. This someone is none other than Flavia RodriguezPonga, an economics and law graduate with a professional background in tax inspection. Now in charge of the General directorate of insurance, she also benefits from significant experience in the private sector, having worked eight years at Mutua Madrileña, including four years as the director of industry relations, studies and the reinsurance division. Implementation of Spain’s Solvency II directive is one of the many challenges that await her in her new role. n

Maria Dolores Dancausa (see story on next page). « Our approach is to avoid quotas or guidelines, because although this route may seem more efficient, it would pave the way for internal policy considerations that are often disconnected from reality», says company spokesperson Francisco Valencia. Linea Directa therefore prefers to favour telecommuting, extend paternity leaves and support families affected by cancer, « which are all mea-

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sures that are conducive to an egalitarian environment».

Plans for equality Although equality plans are now rather common in the industry, not all companies are pursuing them in a proactive manner. Indeed, although women are often present within technical departments, organisational charts indicate that they are hardly present at the operational level. For instance, at Mapfre Spain, the three


[ report ] PILAR GONZALEZ DE FRUTOS

An impassioned president

Maria Dolores Dancausa

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With a law degree from the Autonomous University of Madrid, the former general insurance management inspector is a key player in Spain’s insurance industry. She has been presiding over the industry’s employers’ organisation, UNESPA, since 2003. Having spent a portion of her career in the Insurance Compensation Consortium, a public company that covers risks related to natural disasters and acts of terrorism, she combines extensive case knowledge with a remarkable ability to communicate. Thoroughly inspired by the insurance industry, which, she says, «satisfies her taste for intellectual concepts while remaining anchored in the real world», she knows how to surround herself with experts. Her efforts to make UNESPA more visible and effective in defending the industry’s interests are unanimously praised by insurers. n

An influential pioneer

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Although she is now a banker, it was in the insurance industry that she left her mark. During her sixteen years at Linea Directa, including two as managing director, she helped turn the company into Spain’s leading direct insurance company, serving 1.2 million customers in 2011. In Spain, it was the first time that a woman ran an automobile insurer. Widely regarded as being one of Spain’s most influential business women, and boasting an education at Harvard business school and Fontainebleau’s INSEAD, as the head of Bankinter (Linea Directa’s parent company) she has maintained the same management style based on human relations which was so successful for her in the insurance industry, an example being her desire to personally meet with each new hire or departing employee. n

highest positions held by women are department manager or deputy managing director roles in auditing, human resources and supplier relations. As for Axa, which only has one woman in its nineperson executive committee, they are fully aware of the road that lies ahead. «The decreasing number of women to be found as one moves up the organisational chart is a concern to us», admits Ramon del Caz, her human resources director. Recent measures should

reader to determine the candidate’s gender) or continuing education programmes that detect female talent and remove any obstacles that they may face. The company is therefore proud of the high percentage of women (70%) in its Emprendedores Axa programme, 600 hours of courses spread over three years for agent training. Despite these good intentions, there is still a big problem in Spain: public policies focussing

help reduce this gap, such as the «blind» CV (which hides any information that would allow the

"  We prefer

measures that  are conducive  to an environment  of equality." Francisco Valencia,

Linea Directa spokesman

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on equality are hardly changing, or rather, they are evolving slower than in the private sector. «This lack of synchronisation is causing the country to miss out on talent and opportunities», laments Ramon del Caz. While women represent 52% of higher education graduates, their careers continue to stumble over endemic obstacles, such as the lack of childcare centres or the inability to adapt to the school calendar. Armand Chauvel, IN Madrid •••


[ REPORT ] WOMEN - INSURANCE

52% of all employees 22% of managers 13% of managing directors 51% of new hires in the industry 1% of women CEOs

Maria Bianca Farina

Alone at the top Since 2007 and with an iron fist, Maria Bianca Farina has been running Poste Vita, the post office’s life insurance company. On the peninsula, she is often referred to as «Mrs. Insurance», the only Italian woman to occupy such a high position in the industry. She devoted her entire career to insurance, starting in 1963 at INA Vita, a public company and at the time one of the Alps’ leading insurance groups. Climbing up the corporate ladder all the way up to the vice-president level, she also managed the company’s privatisation in 1999, when it was bought out by the Generali group. After forty years of working, instead of seizing the opportunity to retire, she left the «lion of Trieste» to run Poste Vita, one of the country’s smallest companies. In just a few years, she transformed it into a giant, now ranking as the second largest life insurance entity and Italy’s fourth largest insurance group. n

Italy

In the name of the law

K

nown for its machismo and matriarchal society structure, Italy is slowly evolving. The number of working women rose from 7.6 million in 1993 to 9.3 million in 2011, according to Istat, Italy’s statistics institute. Yet, with a female employment rate of 47.2%, the peninsula is lagging in Europe, and this increase hides a less glorious reality: nearly 30% of these women only have part-time employment and they occupy more precarious positions than men. Employed mainly in the north and in the service sector, they earn less than men even though their level of education is higher on average. It is therefore not surprising that Italian women find themselves barely represented in the upper echelons of society. Although women occupy 33% of all leadership positions in private companies across Europe, this rate is only 11.9% in Italy, according to data released in March by the Manager Italia association. A study conducted in 2010 by GEA

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■■ Historically lagging in terms of gender equality, the peninsula has recently adopted a law introducing a quota for female representation within the boards of directors of both listed companies and public groups.

(a consulting firm) estimated that only 6.9% of leadership positions in Italy are occupied by women, primarily in the textile-clothing and pharmaceutical industries.

An industry that’s behind the times Along with the banking industry, the insurance sector is among those least open to the feminisation of management. Admittedly, the distribution of staff in companies is close to being even (24,005

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men, compared with 21,803 women). However, only 1 out of 150 female employees manages to get promoted to an executive position, compared with 1 in 20 men, according to the National association of Italian insurance companies. «The Italian world of insurance, and finance in general, is the most behind-the-times sector. Women are present, but they are scarce at the top of the corporate ladder. Regarding those women at the top, most of them landed


[ REPORT  ] Federica Aletto

Strength in sales

hervé thouroude/bnp paribas

With a degree in political science, Federica Aletto began her career in the banking industry. She then devoted her energy to academic activities in the legal field before turning to insurance. She was hired by Genertel in 1994, the year that Generali created the Italian market’s very first direct sales company. In just a few years, this start-up transformed itself into one of the industry’s main players. Federica Aletto successfully accompanied the development of the Trieste company, climbing each step of the ladder, from the sales contact centre to the insurance operations, eventually being appointed director of sales. Ever since January 2012, Federica Aletto has been deputy managing director of both Genertel and Genertel Life, Italy’s leading direct sales company specialised in life insurance and pensions. n

Isabella Fumagalli

A secretary? She’s the boss!

there after working for consulting firms. And those in high-responsibility positions are typically found in direct sales companies and business units (1). Companies are still firmly anchored in tradition, favouring internal promotions, especially masculine ones», says Maurizia Villa, managing director of recruitment agency Korn/Ferry Italy. The situation is expected to change thanks to a new law on the feminisation of boards of direc-

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« In the past, others have mistaken assumed that I was the secretary of the managing director... who is none other than myself!» This anecdote is recounted by Isabella Fumagalli, who is in charge of Cardif in Italy. After graduating from Milan’s Bocconi University and working as a consultant for JP Morgan, this brilliant manager, a mother of two, was hired by Cardif in 1999. She followed the development of Spain’s life insurance business until 2002, at which point she was appointed chairwoman and managing director at Cardif Assicurazioni. Settling in at the head of central and southern Europe from 2008 on, she promoted the company’s strategic growth in ten countries. In 2010, she joined BNP Paribas-Cardif’s executive committee. Now, at the age of 44, she oversees the development of the distribution channels and partnerships within the peninsula, which has become the French bancassurance group’s number two market. n

boards of directors and their monitoring bodies by 2015 and 30% thereafter. «In just a few months, this law has already led to a 3-point increase: the presence of women on boards of directors increased from 7% last year to nearly 10% today, while it grew by only 0.5% per year prior to the law. In 2009, for example, the proportion was 6%. Nevertheless, their presence among senior managers in insurance companies, an environment strongly domina-

tors which came into effect in August. It requires that private companies listed on the stock exchange and public groups appoint 20% of women to their

"  Companies

favour  masculine careers. " Maurizia Villa, Managing Director of Korn/ Ferry Italy

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ted by men, is still limited. Out of a total of 768 board members, we counted just 31 women, a mere 4%. This percentage climbs to 6% if you only take into account the 10 leading Italian companies », observes Enzo Losito Bellavigna, an associate partner at GEA, which this year launched a training course which focuses on «Women on boards of directors». Jeanne Salson, in Rome 1. Profit centres that are group subsidiaries.

•••


[ report ] FEMMEs – assurance

50 % of all employees ember 1/12 of Prudential’s 12-mhas executive team, which only one woman

40 % of Standard Life’s executive committee

20 % of Aviva’s executive committee

United Kingdom

Still a highly exclusive club ■■ Despite major lobbying

efforts at the national level, the number of women who hold top positions within insurance companies remains far lower than the number of men.

more likely to occupy administrative positions. At RSA, women represent only 30.1% of the group’s managers, but this figure falls to 26% in the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, insurers are increasing efforts to promote women to the top of the corporate ladder: the establishment of development networks is now a given in most of these companies. Some companies, such as Aviva, are doing even more, such as developing mentoring programmes: «A member of the group’s executive team is paired with a high potential woman in the company, allowing her to benefit from advice in terms of career development», said a group spokesman. The fact remains, though, that major progress still lies ahead, especially within insurers’ boards of directors. While the percentage of female board members at Aviva stands at 20%, this figure drops to 16.5% at Lloyd’s.

Recommendation acknowledged

I

activities. Another observation: the number of women decreases as one moves up the corporate ladder. At Aviva, for example, even though 40.5% of junior managers are women, they only represent 29% of all middle management positions, and this percentage drops to 20% for executive-level positions. In London’s insurance market, the percentage of female managers doesn’t exceed 36%, even though they are three times

s British insurance misogynist? Not really. Most insurers across the Channel (Friends Life, Lloyd’s of London...) claim to have a relatively homogeneous workforce. Aviva and Standard Life even boast a slightly higher representation of women within their workforces: 50.4% and 51%, respectively. However, at Prudential, the percentages are slightly inverted, with males representing a majority within the British operations (53%) and at M&G (57%), the company’s asset management subsidiary. Although women are traditionally well represented in marketing and human resources roles, some insurers are trying to reduce the gaps in other departments perceived as being more male-dominated. This is the case at Aviva, which has undertaken a programme to homogenise its IT

"  Our mentoring

programmes  are helping  high-potential women build their careers." An Aviva spokesman

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At the national level, the pressure is nevertheless very high to boost these figures. The «Davies» report, commissioned by the government and published in February 2011, establishes an inventory of women’s representation within the boards of directors of large British companies. The result: to date, their number did not exceed 12.5% within the hundred largest British companies listed on the stock exchange. Lord Davies recommended that the proportion of women reach a minimum of 25% by 2015. One year after the report’s publication, Cranfield University found that the proportion of women on executive boards climbed from 12.5% to 15.6%. This recommendation should encourage insurers to do more. n Stéphanie Salti, in Londres


[report ] Amanda Mackenzie

A financial globetrotter After having grown up in Johannesburg in South Africa, Jackie Hunt left her country for the first time to go to New Zealand, where she was hired by Deloitte. She then decided to work for PWC, before embarking on an insurance career at Royal & Sun Alliance for four years. Her future in the industry seemed to be clearly laid out. She once again changed employers in 2003, opting this time to work for Aviva, where she rose through the ranks to become, in 2005, the chief financial officer of Hibernian, the group’s Irish operations. Jackie Hunt was then

only 36 years old. Back in the United Kingdom, in 2007, she took on the same role at Norwich Union, Aviva’s UK casualty insurance business. January 2009, a new chapter: she joined Standard Life, where she became the group’s chief financial officer in May 2010. She was then recruited by the ABI (Association of British Insurers) to preside over the tax and financial regulations committee in October 2011. n

Amanda Mackenzie combines no less than twenty-five years of experience in advertising, marketing and communications. After having earned a degree in psychology at the INSEAD (a business school based in Fontainebleau, in France’s Seine-et-Marne département), she lent her expertise to British Airways Airmiles, British Telecom and British Gas before making the move to Aviva. In charge of marketing and communications and a member of the executive committee, she was given the delicate task of standardising all of the brands falling under Aviva’s umbrella until 2009 (Aviva, Commercial Union and Hibernian and Norwich Union). This mother of two teenagers, and a piano and singing enthusiast, also participates in the steering committee led by Lord Davies examining the presence of women on boards of directors in the United Kingdom. She is also a nonexecutive director at Mothercare, a distributor of clothing and home furnishings for children. n

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Jackie Hunt

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Communicating her...leadership


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