Lesley Koopmans | McDougall Insurance & Financial

Lesley Koopmans, corporate personal lines manager, McDougall Insurance & Financial

Lesley Koopmans smiles when she refers to her initial foray into the insurance industry 15 years ago as nepotism at its finest.

“Back then, you got into insurance because you were related on the broker side,” she says, “especially in smaller rural Ontario.”

Currently corporate personal lines manager at McDougall Insurance & Financial, Koopmans started with the company in 2008. Her uncle encouraged her to set her sights on management, but it was hard work, not favoritism, that led to Koopmans’ success.

“I do feel we have to break through,” she says of women. “I’ve had to work in different positions within the company [before promotion], whereas sometimes I feel a male counterpart just gets promoted right into a slot. That said, because I’ve had various roles over the years, I do have a leg up and a better understanding of what needs to be done in each position.”

There was no magic formula, as she just paid her dues. She worked hard and made a conscious decision to treat her book of business as though it were her own company. She did the best job she could, setting clear goals and achieving them in ways that got her noticed by senior leaders in the organization, who ultimately tapped her on the shoulder for a management slot.

“On the broker side, there used to be a lot of mom-and-pop shops,” she explains. “But the smaller ones can’t keep up anymore and are being acquired. Brokers are now big companies with big money. Those dynamics are allowing more room for women.”

When she first started in sales, women made up about 10% of that team. That figure has since grown to more than 30%, perhaps even closer to 40%.

“They are definitely promoting women into middle management more than they used to,” Koopmans says of industry organizations. “But at the director, vice president, and executive levels, it’s still an old boys’ club.”

So how does a woman looking to lead within those tiers make inroads? A common recommendation is to find a mentor, someone within or outside of the organization, who can share what they have done to overcome barriers and achieve success in rising through the ranks.

A focus on making connections can help garner the support women need to pursue more senior positions. Networking can take the form of attending women’s leadership events that bring women from across industries together. Or it could mean virtual touchpoints through a governing body like the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario. However it’s done, networking can provide the chance to gain critical insights, not only on how to get to senior leadership positions, but how to flourish once in that senior seat.

Koopmans says governing bodies should find more ways to support women. As for the industry itself, because it is quite different across business roles — including carriers, brokers, direct writers, claims people, business development, risk managers, and so on — the required changes may vary. However, promoting from within and providing flexible work environments can make the roads to management and senior leadership more accessible for women overall.

One final suggestion: “Get in front of people and be your own cheerleader. Speak to what you do well. Sometimes they’re not looking, but if you show them that you’re doing a good job, if you make sure they’re aware of it, that goes a long way, too.”