Catherine Corrie
Reprints
Member of Japan Production and Marketing Team
Aon Benfield
London
38
Catherine Corrie is a member of Aon Benfield's London-based Japan production and marketing team, following Benfield Group Ltd's recent acquisition by Aon Corp. Ms. Corrie places complex, multi-billion-dollar reinsurance programs. She also has played a key role in the steady expansion of the Japan team by cultivating new customers for the reinsurance market and by working with existing ones to supply their reinsurance needs. She helps recruit and develop talent to the division, mentoring a number of junior brokers at the company and always looking for talented professionals. Ms. Corrie was one of 20 Benfield employees selected to serve on the company's so-called Footprint Group, a team established to help solve some of the fundamental strategic issues the company faces.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE INDUSTRY: I studied mainly math and science at school and then I went on to read Japanese at university. So I guess I was looking for a combination of a numerate sort of finance-type job, but also one that would allow me to use linguistic and cultural skills. Really importantly, particularly at that age, I just wanted a job that would give opportunities to travel. So then I got to hear about reinsurance, which was actually poorly represented in British universities at the time. I had to do my own research into individual companies. I figured out broking suited my personality more than underwriting. I chose Benfield purely because of the people I met there.
WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE PROFESSIONALLY WHILE GROWING UP: I wanted to be and trained to be a professional singer. I had an aptitude for it. It's always rewarding to do something you feel you do well. It was pure enjoyment.
