Podcast: Reid and Clegg present Double Indemnity – episode ten, Dame Susan Langley

The recent winner of the coveted British Insurance Awards Achievement Award, Dame Langley shares her views on her career journey, representation, and the wave of misinformation being spread about London.

In the interview, with hosts Toby Clegg and Stuart Reid, Dame Langley opens up about representing the insurance sector as the 697th person to hold her office, the third woman to do so, and the first to be styled ‘Lady Mayor’.

“We have had Lord Mayors who have had a tinge of insurance, Nick Lyons for example,” she explains.

“But, I am the first insurance through and through stick of rock [Mayor of the City of London]. 

"But like buses you’re going to have two. Because in two years’ time, subject to election, you may well have [former Hiscox group CEO] Bronek Masojada coming in as well.”

On the subject of diversity and being more representative, Dame Langley tells Clegg and Reid that the insurance sector needs to be “more sophisticated” to retain and bring back female talent into the market.

“The trouble in some of these roles we have [is] what I think people call the missing middle – when women drop out because [of] the caring responsibilities.

“I don’t have kids, but I cared for mum when she had dementia, so the problem is how do firms re-engage and make sure that women come back into the workforce?

“And sometimes we are so worried about treating people differently that we [end up] treating everybody exactly the same.

“But we are completely different people. What motivates me, and is important for me to come back to work is probably entirely different to you.”

Elsewhere she talks passionately about fighting back against the negative PR about crime in London, highlighting the strengths of the City and wider UK financial service sector, and offers a little insight about living in the Mansion House.

Catch up on the entire series through our bespoke Double Indemnity page, which includes recent episodes featuring:

• Dave Martin, managing director for UK commercial and chief distribution officer at Aviva
• Sukie Harrar, CEO of Holborn Underwriting
• Howard Lickens, Clear co-founder and chair of Konsileo 

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