Careers in surety: staying connected, worldwide

I was a lawyer by trade, with a focus on contracts and bonds. Then, ten years ago, I joined the reinsurance company Swiss Re as a junior surety underwriter. While learning about surety on the job, I discovered that here in Brazil there is a huge demand for court bonds. I was excited that this industry would give me the opportunity to broaden my skill set but draw on my specialized background.

After around five years at Swiss Re, I started at Allianz Trade as a senior surety underwriter analyst, eventually working my way up to surety specialist. And it’s clear that my expertise in Brazilian court bonds has been a real value add to my work. For example, recently we learned of a new law here that would impact a certain subgroup of court bonds. We were able to jump into action quickly, studying the draft of the bond and discussing wordings internally. We were then able to structure a new product here, in line with both our guidelines and the legislation.

We were also the first company prepared to issue the brand-new court bond, which in turn brought us new business. This is one of the most exciting things about working for a huge player – we’ve got the presence, the experience and the diversity in the team to make things happen.

During my first stint at Allianz Trade, I built strong and lasting relationships with my colleagues. When I left the company to pursue a new challenge at a company focusing on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), those relationships didn’t change. So, when an opportunity arose in my old team during this time, my former manager asked if I would consider returning.

Now, equipped with even more experience and understanding of how different insurers operate, I’m putting everything I’ve learned into practice here. And I’m thrilled to have the chance to do so; I consider my return to Allianz Trade a professional and personal achievement, and a recognition of the value I bring.

It was because of my connections with my team members that I was able to rejoin the company. This is why I stress the importance not only of nurturing relationships with existing contacts, but of always making new ones. It’s important to care about the people around you, and I appreciate that Allianz Trade fosters an environment where that is a priority.

I returned to Allianz Trade for many reasons, not least that we are a recognized player in Brazil’s surety market. Predominantly, though, it was culture. Here, we don’t just care about the what, but the how. That means achieving goals in a way that aligns with our values – and we apply this philosophy to both our clients and our employees.

We also value knowledge sharing and adaptability. We were able to roll out new court bonds in response to market needs largely because of that. I know that I can always rely on my colleagues to speak up and offer their valuable insights. Ultimately, we all have the same goal: solving problems for our clients. And as they say, team work makes the dream work.