#GiveToGain - Celebrating Glasgow's Women in Insurance

Katy Angus

Years in Insurance: 13 years

Biggest achievement:

My mum always said I could sing before I could talk, and had I not gone to law school, I would most likely have pursued a career in music, so I think my biggest achievement has been managing to pursue a successful a legal career while also still singing and performing regularly. Last year I was lucky enough to perform as part of the Royal Variety Performance in the Royal Albert Hall in London – a really bucket list moment!

Role model who inspires you:

I think as lawyer, you would be hard pushed to find anyone more inspirational that Ruth Bader Ginsberg. One of only nine women in a class of 500 men at Harvard Law School in 1956, she was reportedly once asked by the Dean “Why are you at Harvard Law School, taking the place of man”. She spent her career fighting for woman’s rights and gender equality. A true legal legend.

Favourite saying or quote:

“Well-behaved women seldom make history”

Chloe Bennett

Years in Insurance: 4 years

Biggest achievement: 

Having the chance to take 15 of my own dance students to a dance convention in Los Angeles that I attended as a dancer at 8 years old in 2009. True full circle moment.

Role model who inspires you:

I wouldn’t say I have one specific role model that I look up to. I’m inspired by people who are kind, hard working and have built their own path in life despite challenges that could have held them back. I admire their resilience and determination. These are all things I try and carry into both my work and my everyday life.

Favourite saying or quote:

Everything happens for a reason.

Lorna Beaton

Years in Insurance: 38 years

Biggest achievement: 

My daughter, who I’m hoping will look after me when I’m old!

Role model who inspires you:

Sir David Attenborough

Favourite saying or quote:

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Suzanne Brown

Years in Insurance: 11 years

Biggest achievement: 

I was awarded Young Risk Professional of the Year for UK & Europe for my work with internal controls in AXA Health – it was completely unexpected and I was so incredibly proud to share the evening with my colleagues in London to celebrate. It meant a lot to me to receive this recognition, even if I was very embarrassed when our commercial director asked for a speech at the table - I kept it short and sweet! 😃

Role model who inspires you:

I’m blessed to know so many incredible women across different sectors but the one person who comes to mind (as an avid ice hockey fan!) is Hilary Knight – an incredible advocate for equality through change with empathy, and a multi-time Olympic medallist. She consistently raises the bar not only on, but off the ice, and her dedication, leadership, and commitment to making the game more inclusive for future generations is something I hold close to my heart!

Favourite saying or quote:

’Dare to be…’ and leave it open ended, because depending on the mood, the weather, the day, you might need a different power word. Having a power word can help steer you in the right direction, especially when things aren’t going your way.” This reminds me that it’s okay not to have the same mantra every day, because I’m not the same me every day!

Lydia Clark

Years in Insurance: 6 years

Biggest achievement:

Managing anxiety. I’ve had to handle anxiety since adolescence, and at times it shows up in ways that can be completely debilitating. But I didn't let it stop me from graduating university, moving to new cities on my own, making new friends as an adult, and starting a new career path at Willis. 

Role model who inspires you:

My best friend, Rosa. My mum says 'she's nuts but in a nice way' and I agree...she is the bravest and most authentic person I know. She spent a lot of time during university working on herself so that she could be who she is now; a DJ'ing, triathlon running, coffee drinking, almost permanent resident of Australia where she lives the exciting and fulfilling life she deserves. 

Favourite saying or quote

Tough time never last...
Only tough people last...

Chloe Coats

Years in Insurance: 13 years

Biggest achievement:

Remembering to text everyone back, finishing the water in my Stanley, going to the gym, AND putting a washing on in one day. Rockstar mode activated!

Role model who inspires you:

Women who show up as themselves, lead with authenticity, and aren’t afraid to take up space. Bonus points if they bring others along for the ride.

Favourite saying or quote:

Someone special once shared a quote with me that changed the trajectory of my life at the time “You can choose courage, or you can choose comfort, but you can’t choose both”. Hopefully, it resonates with someone and is exactly what they need to hear - at work or in life.

Katy Clelland

Years in Insurance: 27 years

Biggest achievement: 

Public Speaking – this was learned through networking consistently over the last 10 years. I absolutely hated it when I first started, now I can confidently stand up in my group every week. Don’t think I’m ready for any bigger audiences yet 😊

Role model who inspires you:

My Mum - it wasn’t till I was an adult that I realised how strong a person she was, she took everything that was thrown at her in her stride and I hope some of that strength of character has been passed to me.

Favourite saying or quote:

What will be will be.

Rebecca Corley

Years in Insurance: 5 years

Biggest achievement:

Winning the Young Professional of the Year Award in 2022 – a culmination of hard work and support from my colleagues.

Role model who inspires you:

From my personal life, my sister has always been a role model in finding the bright side of life, working hard and being unapologetically myself. Professionally, Ewan Stewart inspires me through his passion and creativity.

Favourite saying or quote:

Enjoy being in the process of becoming.

Christine Ferguson

Years in Insurance: 13 years

Biggest achievement: 

My first role in insurance was created for me as a bespoke role by a manager and branch manager who were impressed by my dedication and enthusiasm. I had initially interviewed for a commercial underwriter role that required more experience than I had. The commercial underwriter role was offered to a more experienced candidate, but a new role was created just for me! 

Role model who inspires you:

There’s so many inspiring figures! I am generally inspired and motivated by women who demonstrate resilience and are easily adaptable. There’s so many!

Favourite saying or quote:

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. 

Jill Ferns

Years in Insurance: 17 years

Biggest achievement: 

Professionally it would be becoming Regional Director (and being thought of highly enough to be the first ever RD for the company), I’m also proud of having achieved my DIP and ACII when the kids were babies/toddlers – was quite the juggle!

Role model who inspires you:

My Granny! 93 years old and still does a variety of baking for the kids (her great grandkids) when she sees them along with daily wordle and sudoku puzzles, sharp as a tack.

Favourite saying or quote:

“Behind every great man, is a woman rolling her eyes” Jim Carey.

Elizabeth Gallagher

Years in Insurance: 8 years

Biggest achievement:

Buying my own home at age 23.

Role model who inspires you:

Oprah Winfrey (do you need to know why?) Basically she is an icon who came from nothing, had a horrific childhood but despite this has become a self-made billionaire.

Favourite saying or quote:

“whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye” (this saying got me through A LOT of rejected graduate scheme applications!!)

Marion Gillies

Years in Insurance: 33 years

Biggest achievement: 

Climbing Ben Nevis

Role model who inspires you:

My Mum.

Favourite saying or quote:

What’s for you won’t go by you.

Beverley Henry

Years in Insurance: 27 years

Biggest achievement: 

Has to be my son Lewis (who will be 21 in April)! 

Role model who inspires you:

My Mum (she is a strong, independent woman, has a fantastic positive outlook on life, and takes pride in herself & her appearance)

Celebrity wise it’s Chris Evans. 

Favourite saying or quote:

Life is better at Disney 😊

Laura Johnston

Years in Insurance: 23 years

Biggest achievement: 

Professionally – organising Crawfords first ever technical forum in Scotland.

I know personally I should say my children (the only achievement there is that I’ve kept some semblance of sanity since having them) but I guess performing at the Rewind festival and stealing the audience from Foreigner is a decent achievement. 

Role model who inspires you:

Cheesy as it is but I would have to say my mum. 

Favourite saying or quote:

Not my monkeys, not my circus, but I definitely know the clowns.

Jo Kelbrick

Years in Insurance: 12 years

Biggest achievement: 

A sponsored sky dive which raised money for an important charity.

Role model who inspires you:

Dolly Parton – she is unapologetically herself! She is also a grafter, has been successful over the course of 6 decades but combines the hard work with having fun and not taking herself too seriously. 

Favourite saying or quote:

Comparison is the thief of joy.

Lynn Livesey

Years in Insurance: 16 years

Biggest achievement: 

Balancing working full time with having a very opinionated and “independent” two-year-old daughter!

Role model who inspires you:

Ally McBeal for inspiring a 14-year-old me to pursue a career in law, turns out there is a lot less dancing and a lot more reading documents! 

Favourite saying or quote:

Maya Angelou's "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

Melissa Leonard

Years in Insurance: 26 years

Biggest achievement: 

Taking a leap of faith and well out of my comfort zone to a new company after 18 years.

Role model who inspires you:

Mel Robbins 

Favourite saying or quote:

The coolest thing you can do as a human is make the people around you feel special and valued. Be stubborn about your goals and flexible about your methods.

Suzanne Marshall

Years in Insurance: 26 years

Biggest achievement:

Being appointed Head of Office for such an amazing team.

Role model who inspires you:

Inga Beale, first female CEO of Lloyd’s.

Favourite saying or quote:

“Say what you mean, and mean it”.

Alana McCulloch-Curran

Years in Insurance: 11 years

Biggest achievement:

Building my own equestrian yard from the ground up—if insurance doesn’t work out I could definitely hold my own in the building trade. I also survive lambing/foaling season each year which is probably the ultimate crash course in crisis management and risk mitigation! Or as most people call it “character building…”.

Role model who inspires you:

I wouldn’t say I have a single role model… I’m quite self-driven and tend to set my own standards, but I’m really inspired by people who overcome significant challenges, such as health struggles or addiction. Their resilience and discipline motivate me to keep improving and not to take any opportunities for granted.

Favourite saying or quote:

He who hingeth about getteth heehaw

Caroline McDonald

Years in Insurance: 27 years

Biggest achievement:

Oh this is a hard one, as I have two children, who are now young adults and whom I am immensely proud of, however, my defence for not saying they are my biggest achievement is because I wasn’t solely responsible for their upbringing, as my husband was always very “hands on”, to allow me to concentrate on my career, so for that reason, I would say my biggest achievement is my career. I started in the industry as an office junior, not knowing anything about Insurance or even what a Loss Adjuster was. Very soon after starting my role as an office junior, I knew very quickly that I wanted to be a Loss Adjuster. I wanted to be “that person” that was able to help others at their time of need and Loss Adjusting seemed like the perfect job where I could do just that. I was in awe of the Loss Adjusters, when I watched and listened to them work, it all seemed very exciting. Back then, I would say that Loss Adjusting was very much male dominated. We only had one female Loss Adjuster in our office, and I knew I wanted to be just like her, so I made it my mission. I put in the hard work and was given opportunities by my employers, not to mention being taken under the wing by the female loss adjuster in our office, where I was mentored and coached (which I am immensely grateful for).  Whilst I may have progressed over the years from an office junior to a Loss Adjuster and into my current role as a manager of a team of loss adjusters, I am immensely proud to say that I am probably still the fastest flat pack cardboard box builder in Glasgow!

Role model who inspires you:

My mother was my role model. Sadly, she is no longer with us, but from a very young age, she always taught me that I could be anything I wanted or do anything I wanted to do in life – as long as I put in the hard work, stayed focused, and took myself out of my comfort zone. She was my biggest supporter, but also my biggest critic. When I’m having one of my “moments”, I can still hear her tell me, “You’ve got this”, like last year when I was 13,000 foot in the air about to jump out of a plane!

Favourite saying or quote:

Accept what is, let go of what was, have faith in what will be… which is quite ironic because I struggle to “accept what is” quite a lot

Carol McIntosh

Years in Insurance: 28 years

Biggest achievement:

My greatest achievement is, without doubt, my three beautiful children. They are kind, compassionate, empathetic, and generous, and they inspire me every single day to be the best version of myself. Being a sepsis survivor is also very high on my list of achievements. I never thought of myself as a particularly strong person, but looking back, I now recognise that it was my inner strength that carried me through a time when my family had been told to prepare for the worst. From a professional perspective, I am proud to have received the Women in Insurance Mentor of the Year award and to have been the first recipient of the George Maxwell Award in 2025 at this year’s CII Annual Dinner.

Role model who inspires you:

When I think about role models, alongside my three children, my mum is the person who inspires me most. My mum raised seven children while my father worked long 12 hour shifts, and my mum taught us to treat others as we would wish to be treated, to be kind and compassionate, to support those who are less fortunate, to work hard because it pays off, and to live life to the fullest. My mum is also my biggest supporter and constantly encourages me to challenge myself. I hope that I can, in turn, be the kind of role model my children deserve.

Favourite saying or quote:

“What’s for you won’t go by you” and “Good things happen to good people”. I genuinely believe in both.

Annmarie McLaughlin

Years in Insurance: 25 years

Biggest achievement:

I have a few: my beautiful daughter Erin; my working career having spent the last nearly 25 years in the same building and learning everything in insurance from scratch from a young 17yr old to an even younger 42yr old! (I wish). And also my Irish Dancing career, going from a student at 4yrs to now Teacher of my own Dance Academy.

Role model who inspires you:

I really admire many women in the insurance industry especially my fellow Scots, I love to see them thrive and I enjoy seeing how well they are doing on LinkedIn. I have always looked up to and respected the Directors who shaped me into the person I am in my role today, namely, Kenneth McCartney, Graeme Robb and Alan Kirkwood.

Favourite saying or quote:

Life is short, eat the cake!

Diane Marshall

Years in Insurance: 41 years

Biggest achievement: 

Meeting the Prince of Wales, (now HRH, the King) at the request of a customer, following the service I provided in handling their claim.  The customer and his family were rescued by boat, from their upstairs bedroom window, following extensive flood damage to their property. The event attracted the attention of the media and as the customer’s home was the worst affected property in the area, Prince Charles had visited to witness the devastation. He then returned 6 months later to see what progress had been made and myself and the Surveyor, who helped me manage the reinstatement of the property, were invited to meet him.        

Role model who inspires you:

My late parents – the values they instilled in during my upbringing have guided me through life and my career.     

Favourite saying or quote:

Be yourself.

Kirsten Maley

Years in Insurance: 11 years

Biggest achievement: 

Professionally: my career developments particularly over the last 3 years.

Personally: Waking up before 8am (Not a morning person!)

Role model who inspires you:

Evy Pompourous (former SS agent, author and business woman)

Favourite saying or quote:

Never take advice from someone you wouldn't trade places with.

Louise McQuade

Years in Insurance: 28 years

Biggest achievement:

Personal – I climbed Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains, 4,167 metres (almost 14,000 feet). The climb took over 48 hours and on the second day we started at 2am with 1,000 dark and icy metres to go. As we neared the final stretch to the summit, exhaustion truly hit me. At one point, I genuinely believed I was walking forward—only to realise moments later that I wasn’t moving at all. My feet were lifting and dropping, but my body remained rooted to the same spot. The altitude, the cold, and the fatigue were working against me. Everything in me, like many others around me, wanted to turn back and head down the mountain to safety and warmth. But there was another voice inside me—stronger, clearer. I thought of my then eight-year-old daughter back home. I imagined having to tell her that I had given up when things got hard. That thought alone made me more determined than ever. I wanted to show her, not by words but by example, what it means to push forward even when the climb feels impossible. I wanted her to see that you don’t need to feel strong to be strong.

Professional – One of the things that I’m proudest of is building a fulfilling career—even though I wasn’t exactly a star pupil in school. Whilst academics were not my strong point, real life turned out to be! I learned to lean into my strengths, back myself and say yes to opportunities that excited me. Now I am in a job that I love, making an impact every day, growing every year, and proving that your school report does not get the final say—you do!

Role model who inspires you:

I have never had one single famous person who inspires me. There was/is no celebrity on my wall, no quote from a bestselling author. No life-sized cardboard cutout of a motivational guru in my living room (thankfully). Instead, my inspiration is a lot closer to home. I’m driven by the life that I want to build for my family—one that is filled with love, stability, lots of laughter and the kind of moments that we will cherish and talk about years after. They are the reason that I work hard, keep learning and push myself even on the days where I would much rather stay in bed, pull the duvet over my head whilst pretending adulthood wasn’t a thing. I’m also inspired by the person I am trying to become—the version of me who’s proud of what she’s achieved, who leads with heart, and who shows her family what determination really looks like. So, while I don’t have a single “role model”, I’ve got something even better: a vision of the life I want to create, the people I love cheering me on, and a slightly sarcastic inner voice keeping me grounded (and occasionally laughing) along the way.

Favourite saying or quote:

What doesn’t break you, makes you!

Leanne MacKenzie

Years in Insurance: 28 years

Biggest achievement: 

Aside from being a Mum, my Professional and Academic Milestones (Achieved my DIP CII in my 40’s).

Role model who inspires you:

Michelle Obama, Erin Brokovich (love that movie). Gill Bewes (Previous Manager – an inspiring lady).

Favourite saying or quote:

Ship happens, that’s usually why they call me!  “Your experience is someone else’s shortcut—share it.”  Behind every successful woman is a group chat that heard the whole saga!

Sarah McCusker

Years in Insurance: 3 years

Biggest achievement: 

I’m really proud of all the different charity work I’ve done both personally and in various different roles.  From race nights and sweepstakes to cycles, hill climbs and even sponsored waxes I’ve tried it all!

Role model who inspires you:

Definitely my Gran, she’s iconic. If I can go through life with half the style, integrity and kindness she has, I’ll be happy.  

Favourite saying or quote:

What’s for you won’t go by you.  Only ever hear it when things aren’t going my way and it can be so frustrating! But it keeps me going and I do think there is some truth to it!

Taylor McTaggart

Years in Insurance: 9 years

Biggest achievement:

Winning the IASG Young Professional of the Year award in 2021 remains one of my biggest achievements, marking a moment to reflect on how far I’d progressed since joining the industry just four years earlier as an apprentice. The recognition opened doors to build influential connections, contribute to local government policy discussions, and play a part in inspiring the next generation to consider a career in insurance.

Role model who inspires you:

Brené Brown is a researcher, author, and speaker whose work has reshaped how people think about leadership. Her philosophy centres on courageous leadership grounded in vulnerability, empathy, and genuine human connection. She challenges leaders to step into discomfort, embrace their authentic selves, and create environments where others feel empowered to do the same. It’s inspiring to see how consistently she encourages people to lead with heart, show up bravely, and build cultures where honesty and courage are celebrated.

Favourite saying or quote:

You are what you do, not what you’ll say you do.

Ashley Newton

Years in Insurance: 19 years

Biggest achievement: 

Winning Young Professional of the Year 2014 and then being shortlisted for the British Insurance Awards Young Underwriter of the Year in 2015.

Role model who inspires you:

My Gran who is 93 years old.  She has a can-do attitude, always with a smile and happy mindset.

Favourite saying or quote:

You can’t be everyone’s cup of tea, otherwise you’d be a mug.

Donna Robertson

Years in Insurance: 26 years

Biggest achievement: 

Setting up my own business.  Before I leave the office on a Friday, I stop to take a look around and I cannot believe this is something I’ve built.

Role model who inspires you:

Sara Davies as a business owner.  I listened to her on a podcast talking about the challenges she has overcome, how hard she has worked and how in your personal life you should have a 3, 5 and 10 year plan the same way you would have in business.  In insurance, I follow what Donna Scully from Carpenters is up to.  She again has helped build an amazing business, taken risks and seems like the type of person you’d want to head out with for a few glasses of wine.

Favourite saying or quote:

If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.

Laureen Ramsey

Years in Insurance: 22 years

Biggest achievement: 

My daughter Alice.  She makes me proud every single day.  Everything I do is to ensure she has a female she can look at and hopefully be influenced positively by.

Role model who inspires you:

Michelle Obama:  I admire all that she stands for.  She is a working mum who prioritises family and does so whilst still being a high profile figure.  She sets an example to her own daughters of someone who is hardworking and uses her influence for good in supporting the next generation of women.

Favourite saying or quote:

Do not ask others to do things you are not prepared to do yourself.

Arlene Stewart

Years in Insurance: 34 years

Biggest achievement: 

I’m driven to succeed and to support others in the insurance field, I’ve spent years coaching and developing talent. The 10+ year apprenticeship program we’ve built in AXA has helped many career starters advance to greater things. Looking ahead, I’m dedicated to guiding the next generation toward their best careers.

Role model who inspires you:

The person who mentored me at the start of my insurance career, Morven Withers, now my lifelong friend, is my role model—the support and belief she gave me help shape everything I’ve achieved.

Favourite saying or quote:

Teamwork makes the Dreamwork!

Carole Storey

Years in Insurance: 46 years

Biggest achievement: 

My daughter Emily; I brought Emily up as a single parent from the age of 8, being responsible for a small human, along with working full time and keeping a roof over our heads was very daunting and difficult at times but we made it !  She is now 32 and I am so proud of the amazing woman she has grown to be.

Role model who inspires you:

My parents, they both instilled my very strong work ethic in me but have inspired me in two separate ways. My mum is the strongest woman I know.  She has had some serious health problems but she won’t be beaten - and has remained glamorous throughout!  She has taught me that no matter how many times you get knocked down, you bounce up stronger and show the world you won’t be defeated. My dad taught me that anything is achievable if you work hard enough.  He also ensured I was self sufficient by teaching me DIY, woodwork, car maintenance and how to change a tyre.  He was a very successful Regional Sales and Advertising Manager and one day, when I was about 6 or 7 years old,  no one came to my jumble sale.   He told me that if the customer didn’t come to you, you need to go to the customer, give them excellent service, treat them well and maybe throw in a bargain or two (a bit like my underwriting career!)    I was caught later that day going door to door in the streets around my home, trying to sell some of my mums earrings - 5p each or 8p a pair! 

Favourite saying or quote:

You can do anything you put your mind to.

Lorraine Scott

Years in Insurance: 24 years

Biggest achievement:

Being fluent in Spanish.

Role model who inspires you:

Dawn Harley.

Favourite saying or quote:

It costs nothing to be kind.

Laura Wright

Years in Insurance: 25 years

Biggest achievement: 

I am passionate about coaching and mentoring young professionals, so my biggest achievement has been becoming a qualified professional coach. Helping others unlock their potential and grow in their careers is incredibly rewarding for me.

Role model who inspires you:

I’ve had the privilege of working alongside many inspiring women and am surrounded by amazing women at home. Their support and example encourage me to be brave, speak up, believe in myself every day and most importantly never give up.

Favourite saying or quote:

In a world where you can be anything be kind.

Louise Walsh

Years in Insurance: 29 years

Biggest achievement: 

My two daughters - One of my proudest personal achievements is raising two daughters to be strong, beautiful, and independent females

Role model who inspires you:

My late mum – strong, independent, and resilient.

Favourite saying or quote:

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just to take the first step” – Martin Luther King

Pauline White

Years in Insurance: 44 years

Biggest achievement:

My two daughters who make me proud daily.

Role model who inspires you:

Too many to mention but I’m always ready with one of my favourite TED talks to share!

Favourite saying or quote:

“I always wondered why somebody doesn’t do something about that, then I realised I was somebody.” – Lily Tomlin

Gail Whiteford

Years in Insurance: 23 years

Biggest achievement:

My biggest achievement is survival! The past few years has pushed me beyond what I believed was possible, demanding strength, patience, and courage on a daily basis. What I gained wasn’t just survival, but a deeper resilience and perspective that now shapes everything I do.

Role model who inspires you:

Denise Coates, joint CEO of Bet365 – random! Yes! However, she has taken a small business and turned it into a global empire. Denise is one of the UK’s highest paid execs. Denise has her own ‘Denise Coates Foundation’ which focuses on health, education, and community causes. I’m genuinely inspired by her incredible business achievements and the meaningful impact of her charitable work—it’s truly uplifting to see someone use their success to make such a positive difference in the world.

Favourite saying or quote:

“What is for you won’t go by you.” – love this saying, my Nan would say it all the time when I was small… as I get older it rings so true!

Susan Young

Years in Insurance: 35 years

Role model who inspires you:

Jacinda Ardern.

Favourite saying or quote:

Always do the right thing rather than the easy thing.