Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Business leader who runs Lloyds of London, the first woman to hold the post in its 328-year history, and a prominent advocate for diversity and inclusion.
On the island
Eight records
I think what she did with this song was empower women. And that's a lot about what I like to do and what I'm sort of seeking to do. Very impactful. Sort of took a song a bit about, I suppose, sex and love and turned it into quite a political movement.
There Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens
My father always played the piano at home. I used to love it and I begged him to give me piano lessons. And at age seven I started learning to play the piano. And one of the songs that he used to sing and play was There Ain't No Body Here But Us Chickens. And it was one of the first songs when I was good enough. I learnt to play and I used to sing it out loud. And it just reminds me fondly of my father.
Ulster Orchestra (conducted by Vernon Handley)
My mother coming from Norway meant Norwegian things were very much part of our life at home and every year we went to Norway on holiday to meet all the rest of our family. She died in 2009 and we wanted to reflect that Norwegian ancestry. So this is a piece from Grieg's Peergind and it's called Morning Mood.
I used to listen to Bob Marley incessantly in those days. So I've chosen a Bob Marley track, which is Could You Be Loved?
Before I left, a dear friend of mine, he made a cassette tape and put a lot of music on for me. And this partic piece of music I used to play a lot as I was travelling on my own all around the world, and I so sort of imagined that one day I would come home and really be loved by somebody. So this is called A Man Is in Love by The Water Boys.
Queen (original London cast recording of We Will Rock You)
This musical grabbed my attention like nothing else. It was the Queen musical, We Will Rock You? And I saw it three times in London, and then I even saw it a fourth time when I was living in Zurich. … the one I've chosen is called Don't Stop Me Now.
Pata PataFavourite
My husband's from South Africa, and through that I had my very first trip to South Africa. … the live music started, and we danced and danced and danced. … I've chosen one that reminds me and conjures up wonderful memories of that fantastic evening, and it's Pata Patter by Miriam …
I made it through to 50 a few years ago and I was so joyous that I'd made it to 50 … this song I've chosen because it was typical of how I was feeling at the time. It's called Sweet About Me.
In conversation
Presenter asks
1:31You are the poster girl for diversity. How does that feel?
There feels like there's a lot of pressure on me, I have to admit, but it's a wonderful pressure. And I've been working in insurance for 34 years. And never, ever did I imagine when I started out in the 80s that I would reach a position like this, that I could be such a role model. And when I started, I didn't have any female role models. And I just think, gosh, how my life might have been different if I had. And now here I am. I can be one of those. And it actually feels fantastic.
Presenter asks
3:15Most people don't get very excited about insurance. What are we missing?
Well, I started off as a trainee underwriter, and I was in a global environment. So one moment I was looking at something from Chile, the next thing I was looking at something from Australia, then I was moving to Japan. … when you think that actually we can help put people's lives back together, because that's our job, when something goes wrong, we're there to support them, fund rebuilding their lives, rebuilding towns, cities, countries, that makes you feel very, very good.
Presenter asks
5:11How would you characterize the culture in the city today for women?
It's changed dramatically since I've been working. It really has. There's a very, very different feel to it now. But there are still behaviours that go on that mean that if you sometimes you just don't feel you fit in, you can't have the same perhaps laddish conversations. … when you've got a lot of people together who will behave in the same way and have the same thoughts, which is what's happened over the sort of centuries, if you like. They all sort of club together. That's normal for them. So then when someone comes in who's a little bit different. You just you just don't fit in.
The keepsakes
The book
James Fenimore Cooper
My father loved books, and he was always trying to get me to read them, and I really, really didn't read them. ... that book has just stayed in my memory, probably also because of the connection with family and what a lovely, happy childhood I did have, even though I was a rebel.
Presenter asks
25:41It was 2008 when you made the decision to come out at work. Why then?
I was going for a new job. And I decided that I'd had enough of having this dual life, and that actually not only was it not fair on me, but it certainly wasn't fair on my partner. … I made that decision, and during the very first interview, I told the CEO who was interviewing me, and he didn't bat an eyelid. And I thought, why, why, why did I not say it earlier?
Presenter asks
28:13Since you came out and lived a more honest life at work, have you found yourself more productive? Are you better at your job?
Oh, I think I'm much better at my job. Yeah, I really do. It it does impact you if you can bring your whole self to work. … I certainly feel that with um with not having ha have having to have any secrets and not having to disguise where I was at the weekend or who I was with, um, it it's just much more fulfilling, it's more satisfying and bringing your whole self to work, nothing more invigorating.
Presenter asks
30:20Lloyd's position is firmly in the remain camp. Why is that?
Lloyds is a very global business and nearly 20% of the business that we have in the market comes from continental Europe and the reason we're able to access that business is because we're part of the EU, so we have automatic passporting rights and insurance is highly regulated, so you have to be regulated to trade in all of those countries. If we were not to be in the EU, it would mean we'd have to individually negotiate access to those markets. And we can't guarantee that we would have the same rights to do that business. And it's an important part of actually contributing to the GDP of this country.
“I didn't have any female role models. And I just think, gosh, how my life might have been different if I had.”
“I was so fearful that if she kept phoning me, people would be suspicious. Now, how ridiculous is that?”
“I was so angry that I thought I had done really, really, really well, and she'd basically told me I hadn't.”
“I turned around and I walked out. And then I disappeared for three days.”
“I said, I'm no longer doing this. It's draining, it's exhausting, and it's absolutely not fair on my partner.”