Bravely embracing challenge for a rewarding career in surety

I joined Allianz Trade, known then as Euler Hermes, in 2018. My hope was to make a significant contribution to the surety department, and to build something new and important for my career. I have not been disappointed.

Before I joined the company, I had spent 15 years working in surety for one of Italy’s biggest insurance companies. While I loved the work, in 2017 I found myself ready for something new and more dynamic – and, to my delight, the stars aligned to grant my wish! When Allianz Trade opened a small new department in surety, a few professional contacts joined the team, and then I was contacted by one of them to ask if I had thought about joining too. It seemed like serendipity and the perfect opportunity to accept a new challenge in this nascent department!   

Over the last four years, I have changed positions three times. I started as a Commercial Underwriter, became Head of Risk Underwriting and Administration, and I am now Head of Risk Underwriting in the MMEA Region at Allianz Trade Italia. While my first role pushed me to find ways to use my technical skills to a commercial end, it was in my second post that I really found the dynamic challenge I was seeking.

When I started it in January 2021, it was with the goal of restructuring and rebuilding the team after several departures, and also to change its working methods. It was an exciting time precisely because it was a tall order, but we managed it and achieved a lot. At the end of 2021, the premiums had improved beyond everyone’s expectations and it turned out to be a very good year.

I took up my current role just a few months ago. Here, I am facing a new challenge: building a long-term growth strategy for 2025. It is a task that requires me to draw on all my previous experience and acquired skills. The necessary qualities, I believe, range from a commitment to professionalism and multi-disciplinary expertise, to having the ability to focus on targets while remaining flexible and open to change. I am confident that we can accomplish our objectives: we have the people and expertise needed, plus excellent relationships with banks and a solid international network. My experience over the last 12 months has shown me that we are strong enough and can often do more than we imagined.

The number one piece of advice I would give to anyone considering a career in surety is that you have to be courageous. There is no real school of surety, and you learn on the job, so you have to be willing to study and persevere. If you do, you have a chance to build a career of great value and professionalism. Surety also offers ample opportunity for challenge and growth; experience is important, but so is bringing a new perspective and one’s unique attributes. Above all, though, it is a profession in which attitude is key: with professionalism, attention to financial risks, confidence and positivity, you will go far.