Jimena Blanco | Age: 40 Chief analyst

Verisk Maplecroft, a unit of Verisk Analytics Inc.

Malaga, Spain

An interest in politics has shaped the life of Jimena Blanco.

“I never wanted to be an academic or to be a politician, but I am fascinated by politics, so becoming a risk analyst has allowed me to follow my passion and stay in the private sector,” she said.

Politics influences all business sectors, including insurance, and she is fascinated with how insurance products are developed as a result, she said.

“What really interests me is finding new ways to look at political risks and the way that something as intangible as politics can be translated into something as tangible as insurance claims or liabilities. We need to think about new ways to use data and technology to mold future products,” Ms. Blanco said.

Originally from Argentina, she spent 13 years working in London before moving to Spain, where her current role as chief analyst has given her a more global focus.

Her understanding of regional issues is impressive, said Nidia Alvarez Crogh, country president for Argentina at Equinor ASA, who has known her for about five years in her role as an analyst at Verisk. She is insightful and able to present complex issues in a digestible way, Ms. Alvarez Crogh said.

When not contemplating politics, Ms. Blanco is a keen field hockey player. She’s played the sport since she was 5 and now shares the pastime with her 8-year-old daughter.

“As I have traveled the world for work, playing a team game has always given me the opportunity to make friends and find new groups of people,” she said.

Beyond the sports field, she has an interest in books and also for charity work. She was a scholar with United World Colleges — an international network of colleges — and continues to raise funds for the group to enable girls from poorer backgrounds across the world to continue their studies.