International broker, award-winning leader and lifelong learner, Claire Simpson brings a philosophy of trust, curiosity and continuous learning and genuine understanding of people to ANZIIF’s Gen i Council and the future of insurance leadership.

By Anna Lopata – Senior ANZIIF writer

When Claire Simpson moved to Australia, she wasn’t simply changing countries. She was rebuilding a professional reputation from scratch in an entirely new market.

“People judge you less on what you promise and more on whether you consistently deliver,” she says. “I learned that trust is earned through reliability, honesty and doing what you say you’ll do.”

It is a lesson that has shaped not only her career but also the way she leads, builds trust and develops long-term relationship.

She believes reputations are built one commitment at a time, through consistently following through on what you say you’ll do.

Throughout her career, Simpson has believed that trust, credibility and leadership are earned through deliberate action rather than assumed through titles.  

That philosophy also led to her appointment of ANZIIF’s Generation i (Gen i) Council, where she advises ANZIIF on the needs and aspirations of emerging insurance professionals.

Today, Simpson is Regional Manager – Sydney Metro Commercial Risk Solutions and NSW State Leader for Education at Aon, leading high-performing teams while helping clients navigate increasingly complex risk environments.

She also serves as Vice President of Young Insurance Professionals (YIPs) NSW, was recognised as an Insurance Business Rising Star in 2024, was a finalist in the 2025 NIBA Young Broker of the Year Awards and has recently completed both her ANZIIF Diploma of General Insurance and her Diploma of Insurance Broking.

Yet ask Simpson what changed her career and she doesn’t mention a promotion, an award or a title.

“Looking back, it wasn’t a promotion that changed the trajectory of my career. It was a conscious decision to invest in myself so I could deliver more value to clients and lead others more effectively.”

Learning is a leadership habit

For Simpson, continuous learning is not a milestone but a mindset.

Starting again in Australia meant rebuilding both a professional reputation and network from the ground up while adapting to a new market. Rather than seeing that as a setback, she treated it as an opportunity to deliberately broaden her knowledge, seek mentors and strengthen her professional capability.

“I invested deliberately in my own development through qualifications, industry committees and mentorship,” she says. “My mentors challenged my thinking, broadened my perspective and reinforced that technical expertise is only part of being successful.”

That philosophy continues to shape the way she leads, develops people and earns trusted client relationships.

She deliberately invests time in reading, learning from others and seeking out different perspectives and believes curiosity is a leadership habit, not a destination.  

In an industry undergoing rapid technological, regulatory and economic change, she believes curiosity, empathy, and commercial understanding are what transform technical expertise into trusted advice.

“I’ve made a conscious effort to maintain a growth mindset,” Simpson says. “In an industry that’s constantly evolving, curiosity and openness to different perspectives have been just as valuable as any qualification.”

Relationships are the real differentiator

Insurance has become significantly more complex over the past decade, from cyber threats and supply chain disruption to inflation and evolving regulation. Yet Simpson believes complexity has reinforced a surprisingly simple lesson.

“Early in my career I was focused on providing answers. As commercial risk has become more complex, I’ve realised that understanding a client’s business is far more important than assuming I know what they need.”

Technical expertise remains fundamental, but Simpson believes its value lies in pairing it with curiosity and genuine understanding.

“The best advice starts with asking better questions, listening carefully and understanding what keeps a client awake at night,” she says.

“Clients remember how well you understood their business, whether you were responsive and whether they could rely on you when it mattered most. Empathy, curiosity and commercial understanding are what turn expertise into trusted advice.”

That same philosophy also shapes Simpson’s leadership.

While commercial performance remains important, Simpson sees it as the outcome of strong relationships rather than the objective itself.

“There will always be someone willing to compete on price,” she says. “What differentiates  me is taking the time to understand my  clients’ businesses, anticipating their risks and providing advice that helps protect them over the long term.”

It is also why she consciously recognises behaviours that rarely appear on formal performance scorecards.

Insurance, she says, is fundamentally a people business. Success isn’t just about completing transactions – it’s about building trust with clients, insurers, colleagues and the wider industry.

She actively encourages her team to invest time in understanding clients beyond annual renewals, build trusted relationships across the industry and represent the business in professional forums whenever opportunities arise.

“Networking isn’t just about making contacts; it’s about investing in long-term relationships,” Simpson says. “Those relationships create better outcomes for clients, stronger partnerships with insurers and opportunities for people to grow professionally.”

Genuinely listening to different perspectives

Simpson’s leadership philosophy is equally clear when it comes to decision-making.

One principle she encourages across every team is simple: don’t just identify problems, bring possible solutions.

She believes high-performing teams combine accountability and high standards with the humility to challenge their own thinking, learn from others and pursue better outcomes.

But she is equally convinced that the best solutions can come from anyone.

She recalls a client renewal where a colleague challenged her preferred strategy with an alternative recommendation based on a deeper understanding of the client’s long-term objectives.

“Because they came with a well-thought-out alternative, I was happy to challenge my own thinking,” she says. “Diversity of thought isn’t about disagreement for its own sake; it’s about  being genuinely open to listening to different perspectives, challenging your own thinking and finding the best outcome together.”

That willingness to listen- and to challenge her own thinking – has become one of her defining leadership traits.

Simpson believes there is rarely only one good solution, which is why she actively encourages different perspectives and constructive challenge.

Investing in tomorrow’s profession

Joining ANZIIF’s Generation i Council, Simpson brings both leadership experience and a strong commitment to developing the profession’s future talent.

Having mentored graduates through Aon’s structured development program and volunteered extensively with Young Insurance Professionals NSW, she has seen firsthand what separates those who build lasting careers.

Technical skills matter, but ownership, curiosity and relationship-building are what consistently distinguish those who build rewarding careers. Technical skills alone are rarely enough.

“The graduates I’ve seen progress the fastest are the ones who are genuinely curious and take ownership of their own development,” she says.

“While technical skills are essential, ownership, curiosity and relationship-building are the qualities that consistently distinguish graduates who go on to have successful careers.”

She hopes to bring that philosophy to Gen i by helping emerging professionals build the confidence, networks and capability needed to thrive.

“I’m passionate about developing the next generation of insurance professionals and creating opportunities for them to build rewarding careers in our industry,” Simpson says.

“I want to help create opportunities for emerging professionals to connect, learn, grow and see commercial insurance as an exciting and meaningful career.”

Looking ahead, Simpson  expects technology and artificial intelligence to transform the way insurance operates. But she does not believe they will replace the qualities that matter most.

“Technology and AI will continue to improve efficiency, but they won’t replace trusted relationships,” she says. “As more transactional work becomes automated, the value of human advice, judgement and relationship-building will become even more important.”

For Simpson, leadership isn’t measured by titles or awards, but by the trust you earn, the relationships you build and the people you help succeed. Every promotion, leadership role and industry recognition has simply been the outcome of that philosophy.

Interested in joining an ANZIIF Council?