KATE SIMONS
Director – Chicago property broking leader
Aon Risk Solutions
Chicago
Age: 32
Kate Simons came to Aon P.L.C. as an intern while attending Northwestern University, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science. She began working full time at Aon in 2008 in what was then called the Early Career Development Program. She moved into an associate property broker position two years later and was promoted several times, reaching her current position in 2015.
Emerging risks in your specialty
Property insurance is fairly well-established, but there are still some newer challenges. Key risks that have emerged in the last five to 10 years are the complexity of supply chain risk and cyber impacts in the property and business interruption space. Managing the increase in weather-related claims is also a challenge to both clients and underwriters.
Best-kept secret about insurance
Insurance itself is the best-kept secret in business. It is complex and challenging, it has great work-life balance, you get to travel, meet lots of different people, get involved and learn about your client’s industries and work in a true team environment. It’s a big industry, too, so there are so many different directions you can take your career with different lines of business, jumping from broking to underwriting, or trying out the risk management side. Plus, everybody needs insurance, which is great job security.
Something people don’t know about you
One random fact about me is that I did synchronized swimming as a kid. I’m apparently not very good at staying afloat, so I kept sinking like a rock to the bottom of the pool. Needless to say, it was a very short career.
Favorite meal
As a transplant to the Chicago area, I do enjoy deep-dish pizza, but it really bugs me that the thin crust pizza here is cut in squares. So my favorite meal would be pepperoni and mushroom pizza cut into normal triangle slices. And definitely paired with a local craft beer.
The 2018 Business Insurance Break Out Awards highlight the potential future leaders of the insurance and risk management sector from across the United States.