As a Surety Underwriter based in Australia, I work with some of the largest firms Down Under, usually investment grade construction companies. Although I’ve only been working in surety for less than a year, I was able to take the leap into this new domain because of my diverse international background and the similarity in the profile of clients I had during my time in investment banking. While working in London, I used to originate investment grade bonds in Debt Capital Markets, where clients were CFO’s and treasurers of large-cap companies. Now, at Allianz Trade I assist clients underwriting surety bonds and guarantees.
I joined Allianz Trade on the heels of a major life change – during the pandemic I moved my family from Spain to Australia for a fresh start. My career up to that point included international positions in business development within: trade credit insurance, investment banking, logistics, and even a brief foray into private equity ventures. The seven years prior to joining Allianz were spent as what here is called “chief-of-staff” to the CEO of a leading shipping company in Europe, working behind the scenes on dispute management, project management and institutional relations with the European Commission.
Quickly after I arrived in Australia, someone in my network who worked for Allianz Trade reached out to me. An informational interview led to a job offer when they saw that my experience was a great fit for surety – much to my surprise! One thing that enticed me to accept the offer was knowing that there could be opportunities to live and work in different countries as I develop through my career in Allianz. International mobility is something I have always been excited about and have always taken on as a personal initiative, assuming all risks entailed. My family background has significantly influenced this part of my personality. For me, it doesn’t get any better than keeping that path available to me with the support of an employer like Allianz.
