Taking on Global Leadership in Insurance with Sierra Signorelli, Spencer Funding Their Future Honoree - RIMScast | Lyssna här

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.

In this episode, Justin interviews Spencer Funding Their Future Honoree, Sierra Signorelli, about her background in environmental science, what drew her into insurance, and what convinced her that this profession was where she wanted to build a career. They discuss her career path from environmental consulting to environmental insurance underwriting to leading a global team and to currently serving as CEO of U.S. and Commercial Insurance at Zurich, and the pivotal moments that changed the trajectory of her career. They discuss her passion for helping women make their way in the industry, and her activities to bring new talent into insurance careers. Justin and Sierra discuss the Spencer Educational Foundation and how Zurich's interest in nurturing new talent aligns with Spencer's work.

Listen for Sierra's passion about the dynamic state of the insurance industry and how it can bring new risk solutions to companies.

Key Takeaways:

[:01] About RIMS and RIMScast.

[:16] About this episode of RIMScast. Our guest is Sierra Signorelli, CEO of U.S. and Commercial Insurance at Zurich and one of this year's Spencer Funding Their Future Gala Honorees. But first…

[:42] RIMS-CRMP Workshop. We are delighted to announce that on August 27th and 28th, RIMS President Manny Padilla will be leading the two-day in-person workshop at St. John's University at 101 Astor Place in New York City. A link to the registration is in this episode's show notes.

[1:02] RIMS-CRMP Virtual Workshops. The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA will be held virtually on July 21st and 22nd. Registration links are in this episode's notes.

[1:14] We have a summertime webinar. On July 16th, Zurich will present "Too Hot to Ignore: Heat-Related Injuries and Workers' Compensation." Register at RIMS.org/webinars and via the link in this episode's show notes.

[1:29] Also on the webinars page, you will see a two-part series hosted by the RIMS Membership Department. The "Classroom to Career" webinar series highlights how RIMS equips students with the knowledge, skills, and connections needed to thrive in risk management careers.

[1:44] Participants will gain insights into industry trends, career pathways, and practical tools that help them confidently step into the evolving world of risk management after graduation. These sessions will be hosted on September 1st and 9th.

[1:58] These sessions are member exclusives and are complimentary for RIMS members, of course. So, if you are interested in becoming a member, this would be the time. Visit RIMS.org/membership.

[2:07] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 19th and 20th in Columbus, Ohio. Registration will open in July. Be on the lookout for the call for nominations for the RIMS ERM Global Award of Distinction. Visit RIMS.org/ERM2026 in July for that announcement.

[2:29] RIMS is back on YouTube. Our handle is @RIMSOfficialChannel. We've got plenty of videos there, including RIMScast, RIMScast Canada video podcasts, and other informative and entertaining content from RIMS. Subscribe to the channel today!

[2:48] On with the Show! Our guest today is one of the modern trailblazers of risk and insurance. She is Sierra Signorelli, the CEO of U.S. and Commercial Insurance at Zurich. She is also one of this year's Spencer Educational Foundation's Funding Their Future honorees.

[3:08] Sierra will receive her honor at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City on September 17th at the Spencer Funding Their Future Gala.

[3:16] Sierra is here today to discuss her career development, her career journey, how it evolved into a global leadership role, and some words of wisdom for the next generation of risk and insurance talent. She has a lot of great insight and takeaways for us all. Let's get to it!

[3:37] Interview! Sierra Signorelli, Welcome to RIMScast!

[3:47] Justin and Sierra discuss longtime mutual friend Marya Propis. Sierra says their paths crossed early in their careers at AIG. They got to know each other through the Women's Executive Leadership Initiative Program.

[4:09] Sierra says quite a few exceptional women in important roles in our industry came out of that program cohort. It's fantastic to come back together with Marya for this event.

[4:37] Sierra studied environmental science. She tries to live and work with a sense of purpose. In university, she wanted to make the world a better place with environmental science.

[4:58] Sierra says there are areas of overlap between insurance and environmental science. Her initial work out of school was about understanding changing weather patterns, flooding, epidemiology, chemistry, liability, and toxic tort. She leans on what she studied.

[5:33] Sierra says that in school, they studied Earth Systems Science. Much of the modeling they did in school is the same modeling that Cat modelers do at Zurich.

[6:04] Sierra first worked at an environmental engineering consulting firm. A colleague left to join a new company. He called her to come and interview. It hadn't been on her mind, but on his recommendation, she interviewed. Meeting the people, Sierra was intrigued.

[7:08] Sierra says once she joined, she never looked back. She joined as an underwriter doing environmental insurance, so it tied to her background. It felt like it was her own little business. It was her responsibility to build a portfolio of business and build relationships with brokers.

[7:37] Sierra says it was fascinating. The industry gives lots of training, both industry-led and within companies. The opportunity to learn was fun. Sierra felt it was a great place to start to build a career.

[8:20] Sierra has had a few meaningful career pivots. As an underwriter, transitioning to her first manager role was a big step. It taught her that you have to have sponsorship or support within an organization to get the next roles.

[8:47] Sierra says it was a big step from being an individual contributor to leading a much larger team. Having somebody willing to put that on her was really important. She will be forever grateful for that first step.

[9:12] Sierra says the next meaningful step was from running a business in a region to being a CUO for one of the businesses globally. The organization restructured and put Sierra across lines of business she had no expertise in. That was a huge shift for her.

[9:40] Sierra was no longer the deep expert, but she had to lead a team of experts and be credible with those individuals. Most of them had 30 or 40 years of experience. Sierra was in her early 40s. It was a fantastic opportunity that somebody was brave enough to give her.

[10:09] Shortly after, Sierra moved from New York to Asia. It was quite a difference. She took that step because she was in a global role. She says, even though she traveled a lot and she's curious about people and cultures, it's not until you sit somewhere that you really experience it.

[10:39] Moving overseas and being on the receiving end of New York gave Sierra an appreciation for sitting in the market. At that company, all brilliant things came from New York, and the rest of them had to figure out how they added value. The time difference was a challenge.

[11:24] Sierra says the time difference has a huge impact on your life. The company wanted to become more global and had placed executives all over the world in different hubs. When you have 3,000 people in one area, everything is time-zone-centric to them.

[12:01] As a global leader, in another time zone, you have to be comfortable not participating in everything and having people who represent you on your behalf, knowing when you really need to engage. You need to know to move the time if you won't be coherent at 3:00 a.m.

[12:24] Sierra went back and forth once a month from Asia to New York to do Business Unit Reviews. It takes a lot out of you. The world has changed, and she does many more video meetings. Global travel has an impact on quality of life.

[13:00] During those years, Sierra was raising children. They started pre-school and kindergarten in Asia. Sierra says she couldn't possibly do it unless her husband was on board; he had a career that was more flexible, and he was willing to step up. That's a family discussion to have.

[14:03] A Quick Break! There are so many other wonderful RIMS events coming up in 2026. The Annual Florida RIMS Educational Conference will be held from July 28th through August 1st at the lovely Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida. A link to the event is in this episode's show notes.

[14:22] Register now for the Second Annual RIMS Texas Regional Conference, which will be held from August 10th through the 12th at the Grand Hyatt on the San Antonio River Walk. Visit RIMS.org/Events for registration information.

[14:36] The hotel cutoff date was July 10th. Reservations may still be made after the hotel cutoff date, subject to availability; however, the negotiated group rate is no longer guaranteed, so reserve now.

[14:48] The 11th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum will return to the Old Post Office on Thursday, September 24th, 2026. Visit ChicagolandRiskForum.org for more information.

[15:00] The RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held from October 4th through the 7th in Seattle, Washington. The agenda is live, and registration is open. Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and the link in this episode's show notes for more information.

[15:16] Save the dates: October 18th through the 21st. We will be in Quebec City to celebrate the 50th Live RIMS Canada Conference. Booth sales are open, and sponsorship opportunities are still available. Advance registration is open now.

[15:33] Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca for more information. Also, remember to check out RIMS.org/Canada for our spinoff show, RIMScast Canada, hosted by National Conference Committee Chair, Aaron Lukoni.

[15:47] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 19th and 20th in Columbus, Ohio. Registration opens in July.

[15:58] Be on the lookout for an announcement about submissions for the RIMS Global ERM Award of Distinction. Visit RIMS.org/ERM2026.

[16:08] Folks, we're already looking toward RISKWORLD 2027, which will be held over four days in New Orleans, Louisiana, from April 18th through the 21st. RIMS members can exclusively register by September 4th for the best rate.

[16:22] Get first access to the hotel block. Hotel reservations open on October 28th, ahead of public registration. Sitting this out is the real risk! The link to registration is in this episode's show notes.

[16:35] Let's Return to Our Interview with Spencer Educational Foundation's Funding Their Future Gala Honoree Sierra Signorelli!

[17:01] Sierra says when she was in Asia, she had a global role. It highlighted how you speak, how you engage, and how you listen in different cultures is hugely important. You can't assume. It's always good to listen and then ask, and then replay back.

[17:23] Sierra learned some painful lessons just thinking that silence and people nodding along means that they agree. She says she often talks about the importance of listening to colleagues, customers, and broker partners.

[17:45] It's important not to make quick assumptions but to listen first and ask questions so that you have a good understanding of the colleagues you are working with and their needs.

[18:00] Justin says a keynote at RISKWORLD 2019 said that when she spoke in Asian nations and asked a question of the audience, she learned that she had to wait and make eye contact with the audience to know if it was alright to move on to the next point or get them to speak up.

[18:30] This speaker had learned that there is somewhat of a cultural reluctance in Asia to say what's on your mind. Sierra says that may be true, but you often don't get questions, so you have to think about what questions people might have and make sure that you raise them.

[18:53] Sierra shares an example. They were rolling out global pricing tools. The U.S. would raise their hand that they don't like this or that. The same with the UK. Maybe Germany doesn't adopt it. Asia was seamless. They just rolled it out. No questions. Then a broker revealed a big issue.

[19:31] Sierra realized she had to go back and talk with her team, so they could march forward. Having that understanding and making sure you're engaging appropriately with the culture is critical to having a successful business and being successful with the teams locally.

[20:03] Justin asks that as Sierra ascended to that leadership role, did she find that she was one of the few women in executive leadership roles along the way?

[20:23] Sierra says that early in her career, she was quite fortunate that there were quite a number of women leaders. In the group she worked with when she was in New York, there were several women running businesses. She worked for a woman.

[20:43] Many of the women had families. Sierra had just started to have a family. Seeing them able to run these businesses, have a family, and not seem like all the wheels were coming off, seeming very normal and successful in her view, kept Sierra going.

[21:01] Sierra says having role models and seeing other women do it is absolutely critical. It feels like you can do it when you see somebody else doing it. Having other people to talk to about how you navigate it is very important.

[21:17] Sierra says, That being said, you have these groups, but overall, she finds that she's often the only woman in the room in meetings, and more broadly, in Asia. If she looks at the executive committee at Zurich, there are 12 executives, six male and six female.

[21:42] Sierra says there are bright spots. We're making progress, but in some of the mid-level management roles, you don't see the same split. You see women falling off at a certain level.

[22:19] Sierra says we have a Women's Innovation Network that she sponsors for her group. She has always tried to be a great support to women in our industry. She has given support to women along the way and helped them navigate to get to where they are.

[23:00] Sierra says if you want to be authentic, you have to make difficult decisions. It goes hand in hand. If you just take every easy decision, it would be very difficult to be authentic. She would encourage you not to shy away from challenging decisions and not to put them off.

[23:26] That's easier said than done. When Sierra looks at her to-do list in the morning, if there's something on that list she really doesn't want to do, she does it first. Otherwise, it just falls further down the list, and then goes to the list for tomorrow.

[23:47] Those difficult conversations are never as bad as you work them up in your head to be. Just do it and get past it. If you make that a habit, then you tend not to shy away from having the right discussions. It's never as difficult as you can make it out to be in your head.

[24:09] Sierra says one of her colleagues at Zurich in the U.S. often says, "Be kind, not nice." Being nice does not serve anyone well. If you don't give people feedback, or don't give them the full story because you want to be nice, it doesn't make sense.

[24:32] If you're going to give feedback or make a change, be kind. That purpose helps people move forward and take action. Inaction is the bigger risk than taking action, jumping in, and adapting anywhere you need to adapt, as you go.

[25:02] Justin cites a friend of Sierra's, and recent RIMScast guest, Johnell Holly, who said he chooses the hard challenges first and tries to knock them off the list.

[25:24] Justin restates Sierra: your authentic self is shown when you make those difficult decisions. That's a great takeaway for the RIMScast audience. Sierra adds that it's important to take positions so that people understand what you stand for as a leader or an individual.

[25:53] Sierra says in an organization, people are always going to decide what you stand for. If you don't make it clear, it creates a vacuum, and they'll make assumptions. Sometimes people are tentative or worried about taking a stand.

[26:06] Sierra says it's far less risky to take that stand and make it clear what you stand for, because people are going to make an assumption anyway, and they're more likely to get it wrong if you leave it to them to sort out.

[26:31] Sierra says she spends a lot of time meeting with customers and brokers. She gets energy from it. It grounds her in reality, which is important if the company wants to add value. They need to understand how things are landing, and what problems they are solving for.

[26:53] One of the things that keeps Sierra in this industry, and what she loves about what they do, is that they have the opportunity to help solve some of the world's most complex challenges.

[27:06] To do that, they have to get out and talk to people who are facing the challenges, and understand what it means for their business.

[27:14] Sierra says, it's also important to spend time with your people. Sierra is in the Chicago office, and when she walks around the floor, she can meet the teams. She loves when they come up and tell her about a big win or something they're building on in the market.

[27:39] Another Quick Break! The Spencer Educational Foundation's Funding Their Future Gala 2026 will be held on September 17th in New York City at the Waldorf Astoria. This year, Spencer will honor Sierra Signorelli of Zurich and our recent guest, Marya Propis of RT Specialty.

[28:01] A link to the Gala is in this episode's show notes. Sponsorship opportunities are still available.

[28:14] We have reached the deadline for the Spencer Educational Foundation's Risk Manager on Campus submissions. Grant awardees, colleges, and universities are typically notified in September.

[28:22] General Grants are open, and the application deadline is July 30th. Internship Grant applications open on August 15th and close on October 15th.

[28:33] Links to each of these grants are in this episode's show notes. Visit SpencerEd.org for more information.

[28:42] Let's Conclude Our Interview with Spencer Educational Foundation's Funding Their Future Gala Honoree Sierra Signorelli!

[28:57] Justin congratulates Sierra once again on being honored at the Spencer Educational Foundation's Funding Their Future Gala, which will be on September 17th at the world-famous Waldorf Astoria.

[29:07] Sierra says she is looking forward to the event. She has been very fortunate to have amazing people who have helped, either giving her great advice through her career, or who have sponsored her, supported her, or advocated for her as she took the next steps in her career.

[29:43] Sierra says, it's great to be recognized. As she is recognized, it should be recognition for all of those people who were bold enough to support her, especially early in her career.

[30:02] Sierra says Zurich has a long history of engaging with the Spencer Educational Foundation. Zurich's beliefs align with what Spencer is trying to achieve. Zurich believes in bringing a diverse group of people into our industry, and more young people into our industry.

[30:23] Sierra says we need to continue to bring new people in. As we look at some of the changes we have as an industry, becoming more digital, leaning more on insights, and reshaping how we show up as an industry, it's a great time for young people to join our industry.

[30:47] Sierra says she thinks the industry is undersold. It's a fantastic industry to build a career. She says most people who come into the industry don't leave. It's just convincing them from the beginning.

[31:02] Sierra says, from a Zurich perspective, we have a really robust apprenticeship program that we sponsor to bring youth into and help them gain experience: both on-the-job experience and instructional experience through a two-year program.

[31:26] Sierra says that for Zurich, supporting programs such as the Spencer Educational Foundation is a natural fit in continuing to help bring talent into our industry.

[31:38] The other 2026 Honoree, Marya Propis, was recently on the show and was one of the first 50 RIMScast guests. Sierra says she and Marya worked together years ago. They also were part of a fantastic sponsored women's program, the Women's Executive Leadership Initiative.

[32:14] Sierra says several women who are in key roles in our industry came through that program. It's fantastic to see the success of some of those women, including Marya, and to be honored together in 2026.

[32:44] Sierra says it should be a good evening and really nice to reconnect with Marya after having been overseas for quite some time.

[33:00] Sierra is also a board member of the St. John's University School of Risk Management and is deeply involved in developing future talent.

[33:16] Sierra says it's a really exciting time for our industry. The world of risk is very dynamic now.

[33:31] Our capabilities to harness insights and data to streamline what we do to be more efficient to work with, all coming together at the same time, is a huge opportunity to raise the bar to add greater value to companies as they think about how they manage this risk landscape.

[34:00] For Sierra, it's an exciting time to bring new perspectives in and entice young people to look at a career in insurance. Sierra repeats that most people who come into our industry don't leave. People leave companies, but they tend to take other insurance roles.

[34:30] Sierra says, we just need to get more people interested in what we do and to bring new perspectives and new skillsets into what we do. I know that people will stay once they're here.

[35:00] Speaking of knowledge transfer, Sierra says that there are lots of people with many years of experience who want to invest the time with younger people to pass that knowledge on. They don't want it to be lost.

[35:19] For people who are curious and want to come in and build a career, it's an amazing opportunity to be able to work with some of the people who have this experience, as well as working with new technologies and capabilities.

[35:35] The Waldorf Astoria in New York City has been newly renovated. When people gather at the Waldorf for the Spencer Gala on September 17th to celebrate leaders like Sierra and Marya, they're also investing in the future of the profession.

[36:06] Sierra says, first and foremost, she feels fortunate that she's had great support from individuals and also from working for a great company that allows her to do what she does at such a large scale.

[36:44] Sierra says the people who sit on the team at Zurich are the shining stars who give us the brand that we have and the capabilities that we have. She would hope that she leaves a legacy that shows that she's helped to improve and raise the bar for what we do as an industry.

[37:19] Sierra says that's what she's most passionate about. She thinks that as an industry we can do more.

[37:26] We're on the cusp of something great with all of these different dynamics, whether they're the factors of risk that are becoming far greater, or the capabilities we can bring to the table to help the world and companies solve problems.

[37:45] Sierra says, if I leave a legacy that I helped some of the building blocks to get us there, I would feel quite good about that, in addition to helping to build talent in our industry, which is something that I'm particularly passionate about.

[38:03] Justin says it is a well-deserved honor, and I'm so happy for you. I'm very happy for Marya, as well. You both bring so much to risk management and insurance that it's only fitting that you are honored in the same year. You're both doing great work.

[38:21] You're very inspiring for our listeners and, of course, anyone who is involved with Spencer, whether they are staff or beneficiaries of the foundation. You are a shining example of what we hope this profession can continue to be like.

[38:40] I want to thank you so much for your time, and I look forward to seeing you in New York City on September 17th, when you accept your award.

[38:53] Special thanks again to Sierra Signorelli of Zurich for joining us here on RIMScast. We congratulate her on being named an honoree at this year's Spencer Funding Their Future Gala, which will be held on September 17th in Manhattan at the fabulous Waldorf Astoria.

[39:14] Visit SpencerEd.org for more information and be sure to check out recent RIMScast episodes with another honoree from this year, Marya Propis, and Spencer Board Chair, Johnell Holly. Links are in this episode's show notes.

[39:30] Plug Time! Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information.

[39:47] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more.

[40:04] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management.

[40:17] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org.

[40:30] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continued support!

Links:

Spencer Educational Foundation's 2026 Funding Their Future Gala | Sept. 17, 2026

RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 | Aug. 10‒12 in San Antonio | Register Now!

RISKWORLD 2027 Registration | RIMS members can lock in 2026 rates now through Sept. 4

2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference | July 28‒Aug. 1 | Register Now

ChicagoLand Risk Forum | Sept. 24, 2026

RIMS Western Regional Conference — Oct. 4‒7, 2026 | Seattle, WA | Register Today.

RIMS Canada Conference — Oct. 18‒21, 2026 | Quebec City | www.rimscanadaconference.ca | Advance Registration Open | Sponsorship Opportunities Available

RIMS ERM Conference 2026 | November 19‒20 in Columbus, Ohio | Registration Opens in July! | www.rims.org/ERM2026

Spencer Educational Foundation — Scholarships and Grants | Open Calls and Timelines.

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