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#MyWTW: Growing up at and with Willis Towers Watson: Nichelle Daulby’s 20-year journey of personal and professional growth
Senior Director, Nichelle Daulby, shares her inspiring 20-year career journey and how Willis Towers Watson’s inclusive culture and diverse colleagues have made the company a place that she can call ‘home away from home’.
Can you tell us about your 20-year career journey at Willis Towers Watson?
I joined Willis Towers Watson 20 years ago as an actuarial analyst graduate in London. Almost five years later, in 2006, I was relocated to our expanding office in Atlanta where I joined the Health & Benefits team. Here, I coupled the move to a new country with a change in specialty. This change of scenery, both on a professional and geographical level, led me to quickly realize the value and importance of my analytical and project management skills, as we had to work on a variety of projects with clients from across the globe. Over time, this meant that I ended up frequently stepping outside of the actuarial world and was exposed to other business functions which positively impacted my personal and professional life.
In 2015, a new position was created: associate client relationship director. This is when I decided to embrace the opportunity and venture into the client management world. Six years have passed since then and I am currently a senior director within this business area. Looking back, little did I know that Willis Towers Watson was the company where I would (literally) grow up in and call home almost 20 years later.
What does it mean to be a part of Willis Towers Watson’s Multicultural Inclusion Network (MCIN)?
The MCIN is an incredible colleague-led group that relentlessly works to highlight Willis Towers Watson’s diverse teams and talent. I’m originally from Trinidad and Tobago, so being part of a network that has introduced me to colleagues with similar Caribbean backgrounds has been one of the highlights of my career. I am very proud to be part of this group as it fosters comradery, connection and inclusion which in turn makes us feel comfortable in bringing our true and best selves to work.
Why do you think it is key to have diverse leaders within an organization?
Diversity has always been the status quo for me. Growing up in Trinidad & Tobago and having a diverse ethnic background myself, I’ve been able to witness how diversity in leadership brings diversity in thought and problem solving. This is particularly important for us as a company, as we’re always looking for new ways to innovate in order to provide the best solutions to our clients’ needs.
As a leader I’m always working towards supporting diverse talent and encouraging colleagues to advance their career. That’s why I am also part of the COBALT (Creating Opportunities for Black and LatinX Talent) program and a local co-leader of the Workplace Leadership Group whose mission is to create an inclusive work environment and enhance the overall colleague experience within the company.
How have the Willis Towers Watson culture and values help you adapt to working in different locations and business areas?
Over the past 20 years, I’ve been given the opportunity to work in two different countries and continents. This has enabled me to experience Willis Towers Watson’s unwavering commitment towards delivering excellent work and supporting colleagues’ growth.
When I first moved to the United States and joined the Health & Benefits function, I didn’t have a background in this area, much less in the North America region as I had only worked in Trinidad & Tobago and London before. However, I was incredibly motivated and inspired when my fellow colleagues, managers and leaders shared their knowledge and invested time in my development. This continues to encourage me to keep stepping out of my comfort zone in order to continue growing.
Willis Towers Watson has supported me throughout the various phases of my personal life to date: as a new hire, a newlywed and a new parent working part-time for a period and then returning to full-time. Seeing how the company and my colleagues flexed around my professional growth, ambitions and changing personal circumstances throughout the years, made me realize that this is more than just a company – it is a place where individuals are equipped to become the best, most authentic version of themselves.
What has been your greatest learning or piece of advice that you have received throughout your career journey at Willis Towers Watson?
There are two things that have stayed with me: the first is to ‘be authentic’ which for me is keeping things simple. I am a firm believer that if you can’t say it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. The second is to ‘embrace change’. Embrace the opportunities that present themselves even though you may think they are outside of your comfort zone.
What advice would you give to people (or colleagues), particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, looking to progress their career?
There is a place for you here. We have numerous and incredible Inclusion Networks such as the COBALT group, the Black Colleague Connection club, the Gender Equity Network, the Women’s Leadership Development Program or ‘Out@WTW’ (which is part of our LGBT+ Inclusion Network) that will help you feel comfortable in bringing your true to self to work.
Learn more about our different roles and business areas here.
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#MyWTW: From Retail to Risk Management: Taking on a new opportunity and excelling more than ever
Roberta Jones, Client and Delivery Analyst, reflects on her growth and development during her time at WTW
COVID-19 has brought many changes and challenges. How have you supported other colleagues during these unprecedented times?
One fun way that my colleagues and I have supported each other is through a friendly competition that promotes better health and wellbeing for the Australian team. During this competition, everyone tracks their steps throughout the day and at the end of each month whoever has the most steps wins a cool prize. Additionally, my colleagues and I often participate in virtual team-bonding activities to get to know each other better and to alleviate stress that can be caused by the challenges of COVID-19.
What has been the greatest learning or advice that you have received throughout your career journey at Willis Towers Watson?
Always ask questions. Whether it’s to get assistance on projects or simply to get clarification, always ask if you have a question: this will only lead to more knowledge and growth. Another piece of advice that I have been given is to remember to take time to myself because it can be easy to get carried away with work. The focus on the health and wellbeing of its colleagues is truly something I love about Willis Towers Watson.
What training and development opportunities have you enjoyed as a result of your role at Willis Towers Watson?
As l came from retail, there was a lot for me to learn going into Risk Management. Since starting at Willis Towers Watson, I have developed tremendously. From company-wide training modules to individual training sessions with my colleagues, I have been provided the tools that I need to thrive and succeed.
What’s been one of your most exciting projects to date?
While I have been part of many great projects, the data projects that I have worked on for clients have been the most exciting for me. To see the level of work I can do in a short period of time and see how it meets clients’ needs is very satisfying.
How would you describe the culture at Willis Towers Watson?
In three words, the Willis Towers Watson culture is: positive, collaborative and exciting. To know that we are focused on supporting our clients, all while ensuring a team-oriented and fun-spirited environment is very fulfilling. Every day I have the pleasure of working with individuals who are passionate about their work and strive to ensure that the company values are maintained.
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#MyWTW: A Day In The Life Of Shadab Hemani, Analyst, Mumbai
Shadab Hemani, Analyst, talks us through his Willis Towers Watson experience and what his typical day looks like at our Mumbai office.
How long have you worked at Willis Towers Watson?
5 years.
What are you responsible for at Willis Towers Watson?
A few of the things included within my role are: the co-ordination with brokers and client managers for strategy meetings; preparing pre-renewal documents for client meetings; managing accounts receivables and preparations for WEM audits.
Basically, I remotely perform all the tasks that an Assistant Client Service Specialist would perform in a local US office.
How does your day usually start?
I don’t need an alarm as my two angels wake me up. Family is my source of energy, so I spend some quality time with them before I head to work.
What are some of the other activities that you might do on a typical day at work?
My day starts with checking and prioritizing the daily requests received from the US office. I will usually call my colleagues in Texas to discuss tasks and strategize further actions. I’ll then co-ordinate with our other Mumbai teams to get the work completed. I sometimes also play table tennis during my breaks to rejuvenate myself!
What is your favorite part about your role?
Performing tasks remotely from Mumbai is the most exciting aspect of my role; it is more like virtually working in a local US office.
What is your favorite part about working for Willis Towers Watson?
I am an active participant of the Hobbies @ Work biking group. This gives me an opportunity to fulfil my passion of long rides on weekends.
Learn more about our different roles and business areas here.
MEET Emily Reading
Client Service and Analytics Manager
Team MarineMar team
Segment Corporate Risk and Broking
Location Ipswich, UK (with one day per week in London office)
Year hired 2018
Personal interests
I’m passionate about anything creative. I play a number of musical instruments, enjoy photography and ran a side business as a self-taught chocolatier for a short time.
Can you tell us about your career progression and how it led you to Willis Towers Watson?
I formerly worked for a small field marketing company that was outsourced to conduct retail sales for large technology companies. I worked on various accounts for about six years where I managed client relationships and worked to increase sales for the company, and eventually worked my way up to a client service manager role. Through LinkedIn, I was exploring other roles but had not considered one in insurance until I was contacted by a company recruiter. I learned through a phone interview that my skills were transferable, and I was hired as a client service manager. My current role requires making a lot happen in a short amount of time, but the skills I learned in my previous role – staying organized, creating lists, learning systems and processes – prepared me well.
Can you tell us about the day-to-day responsibilities of your job?
In my role, I provide market insights to insurers who are my clients, as opposed to the policyholders. As client service and analytics manager, the key responsibilities of my role are to ensure that clients receive their reports and are kept updated through meetings, per their contract agreements. This involves building relationships with both colleagues and client teams to ensure processes are in place and followed effectively throughout the quarter.
What are the key challenges of your role? How have you overcome them?
So much of my role depends on building strong working relationships with a large number of colleagues. Being completely new to the company, I’ve spent the last few months meeting and working with as many of these key individuals as I can to ensure that we build a mutually beneficial working relationship.
What training and development opportunities have you received in your role?
I will be completing a training course with the Chartered Insurance Institute, which will allow me to earn certifications helpful to advancement within the company. This training provides an entry-level understanding of the insurance market as a whole in London. From here, I can progress to higher levels of certification, which will open me up to other roles within the company.
How would you describe the culture at Willis Towers Watson?
The culture here is inclusive, supportive and there is a good work ethic.
What do you like best about working at Willis Towers Watson?
The diversity of people and the variety of challenges presented to me are two of my favorite aspects of working at Willis Towers Watson.
Also, there is a much better work/life balance in my current role, since I am not spending the majority of my time on the road, which was required in my previous position in field sales marketing. I’ve learned that I can accomplish a great deal within a reasonable amount of time.
Was there anything that surprised you about your role or the company?
I’ve spent most of my career working for much smaller companies so the breadth of benefits and support available here was more than I’d expected.
Also, my move to Willis Towers Watson meant a change in industry for me. I wasn’t aware of how transferable my skills could be from my previous role and how open the company would be to considering them.
What is your hope for your career in the future?
My definition of success is to be constantly challenging myself, learning in whatever role I have and enjoying my day-to-day work. I remain open-minded as to what opportunities may present themselves or that I will look to create.
Based on your experience, what advice would you give someone considering employment with Willis Towers Watson?
Keep your LinkedIn profile up to date – it’s a powerful resource and representation of yourself, even if your experiences don’t necessarily match a position. I’m very grateful that Willis Towers Watson has remained an open-minded and inclusive company when considering applicants. Don’t think that you shouldn’t apply for a job if you don’t already work in that industry – many people that work in field marketing sales like I did may not realise that their skills are transferrable to other kinds of work. Keep yourself open to the possibilities!
MEET Nuno Arruda
Head of Clients
(dual hatted with Broking and Carrier Management)
Team Client Management
Segment Cross Segment
Location Lisbon, Portugal
Year hired 2003
University Universidade Lusiada de Lisboa, Degree in Business Management
Personal interests
I have a three-year old daughter, who will be joined by a brother in January! I’ve played rugby for 14 years and love water-related sports. I love good food, and one of my favorite things to do at home is cook.
Can you describe your career progression within Willis Towers Watson?
I joined as an account executive managing large accounts, mainly in the Energy and Industrial sectors. I then moved to New Business Development for a few years and then moved again to be in charge of our Facultative Reinsurance unit in Lisbon from 2011 to 2015. In 2015, I became the sales leader for Portugal and, following the merger of Willis and Towers Watson, was appointed head of clients.
Can you tell us about the day-to-day responsibilities of your job?
I work together with colleagues in all lines of business to identify opportunities and continuously deliver best-in-class service and solutions to our clients. I also oversee our Marketing team locally, and I’m charged with making sure that our relationships with carriers remain close and strong.
What are the key challenges of your role? How have you overcome them?
Sometimes it can be challenging to get everyone on the same page when people come from different business cultures. It takes optimism, resilience, and the ability and conviction to constructively look for common goals and show that our differences can make us stronger.
What training and development opportunities have you received in your role?
Willis Towers Watson has enabled me to progress and evolve in my career, working on different projects within different teams and steadily growing professionally and personally.
What is your proudest achievement since joining Willis Towers Watson?
Immediately following the merger of Willis and Towers Watson, I was proud to work with our leadership on the design and implementation of a plan to find synergies between people and businesses to create a new way of working together. It was very rewarding to engage with our new colleagues, learn about what they do and discover the amazing new world that our combined company is as a whole.
I’m also very proud to be a coach in the company’s incredible internal professional development program, Client Acumen, which is a 12-month learning and development program that facilitates a deeper understanding of the key business issues facing the companies we serve. And I’m proud to have colleagues that I can also call friends.
How would you describe the culture at Willis Towers Watson?
Willis Towers Watson is a very inclusive company, where one can expect to be challenged to strive and excel. A company where our values are not “corporate marketing” but something to uphold and live by. And, especially, a company where commitment is recognized.
What do you like best about working at Willis Towers Watson?
The best part about working at Willis Towers Watson is the fact that I learn something new every day from inspiring leaders, colleagues and clients. This team spirit is the foundation of our success.
Was there anything that surprised you about your role or the company?
When I first joined the company from a local independent broker, I was surprised by the sheer size and, yet, how collaborative the work was. The ambition and teamwork of our colleagues and management is something that still amazes me today!
What is your hope for your career in the future?
My greatest ambition is to see Willis Towers Watson become the market leader in Portugal, in terms of being a provider of choice. I’m already in the best possible position to try and make this happen. The company has always given me the right opportunities at the right time.
Based on your experience, what advice would you give someone considering employment with Willis Towers Watson?
Be open-minded, be generous, be ambitious, and be innovative. There is a world of opportunities in our company — be ready to go for them.
