Charlotte von Krogh
Head of Broadspire Europe;
Chief operating officer for Nordics and Finland, Crawford & Co.
Oslo, Norway
Age: 51

Striking a work-life balance and demonstrating in practice how others can do the same has been key to Charlotte von Krogh’s career satisfaction and success.

Hard work and drive helped propel her swiftly up the career ladder. Originally from Norway, she went to university in the United Kingdom and afterward joined a company that later became part of Crawford & Co. Within two years she was finance manager for Norway, and by age 30 she was country and finance manager for Crawford in Norway.

“The day I was asked to take over as country manager defied so many of the misconceptions about women raising a family and pursuing a leadership career,” she said. “It made me feel encouraged and supported, especially since I was actually seven months pregnant with my second child. I believe that (this) showed you can achieve balance with the right support and determination.”

In 2007, when Ms. Von Krogh was offered the role of CEO of the Continental Europe, Middle East and Africa region, she was reluctant to move her young family to London and worked with leadership to adapt the role so she could remain in Norway.

This past January, when Crawford was split into three global lines, she was appointed head of Broadspire Europe, a unit of the third-party administrator arm of Crawford & Co.

Ms. Von Krogh’s ability to inspire people has led to much of her success, said colleague Anja Knutsen, Nordic sales and marketing director at Crawford & Co. (Norway) AS. “She works hard and inspires her colleagues to do the same, because she creates such a good working environment that you really want to deliver and bring the company forward with her.”

The variety of people and claims that she is exposed to in her work is fascinating, Ms. Von Krogh said.

“From nurses, to engineers, to lawyers and actuaries, you are able to see so much about (people’s) lives and help them with all manner of issues that arise,” she said.

2019 Women to Watch Home