A new mentoring program called Leaders in Insurance for Tomorrow (LiiFT) aims to increase the representation of women in the industry’s top positions.

Eleven mentors from Aon, Gallagher, Hollard, IAG, NTI, QBE and Suncorp have been paired with mentees to “give more women seats at the tables that matter”.  

The mentor-mentee pairs meet regularly throughout the year, and the wider group of participants come together for key networking events. 

“I have been fortunate to have had some incredible mentors and sponsors over the years and if it weren’t for their encouragement to take some leaps, I wouldn’t be in this role now,” mentor and Suncorp Consumer Insurance CEO Lisa Harrison said. 

Mentor-mentee pairs are matched to align strengths and goals, and across organisations to encourage diversity of thinking and experiences. 

“In a male-dominated industry, a program like LiiFT showcases women in leadership roles, breaks down barriers and demonstrates a tried and tested path to success,” mentee and Gallagher National Practice Leader Amanda Mudaliar said. “I always walk away from our LiiFT meetings feeling inspired and empowered to achieve my best.” 

The LiiFT pilot will end in June but there are plans for an ongoing initiative.  

Recently published data from almost 5000 large Australian organisations revealed the gender pay gap favours men in every industry nationwide, and insurance is the second-worst offender with a pay gap of 26%.