Dynamic and results-driven financial services professional with nearly 9 years of experience in the insurance industry across EMEA region. Not limited to underwriting but also spearheading activities in business development, project management, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, regulation & operations implementation. Proven track record of successfully managing complex projects within the financial services sector. A strategic thinker with a strong focus on achieving measurable results in a dynamic business environment.
Hi, I’m
Varshini Sundaram
Dubai ,UAE
Summary
Overview
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Gulf Insurance GroupDubai, UAE
Regional Group Life Underwriting Manager
01.2022 - 01.2024
Job overview
- Role involved pricing and assessing risks in domain of Employee Benefits for corporations encompassing various industries across EMEA.
- Managed teams as well as 3 countries solely in GCC which include Qatar, Bahrain, Oman.
- Collaborating with re-insurers, captive insurers as part of day to day based on risk appetite, treaties and account specifics.
- Regularly reviewing various proposals in terms of financial, regulatory & strategic activities to ensure best solutions for clients.
- Lead quarterly compliance audits to adhere to regulatory landscape.
- Enforced compliance with regulatory requirements, promptly addressing and correcting underwriting submission deficiencies.
- Created centralised repository database that significantly enhanced regulatory tracking capabilities.
- Performed data extraction on models and pricing tools for review to verify risks written or renewed followed underwriting guidelines.
- Managed contracts including and not limited to reinsurance from stage of securing, underwriting and delivering proposals to closing deals.
- Collaborating across various functions internally including proposition, compliance, regulation, distribution, and operations while ensuring business is written in line with achieving adequate profit margins.
- Actively managing relationships with internal and external clients, brokers, re-insurers to help secure business.
- Underwriting authority $2.5M in gross written premiums.
- Achieved double digit growth across overall portfolio in first year.
Zurich Insurance Dubai , UAE
Senior Group Risk Underwriter
01.2019 - 12.2021
Job overview
- Role involved pricing and assessing risk for new & renewal business for corporations encompassing various industries within EMEA Region.
- Worked independently and help support team in ensuring business is written in line with achieving adequate profit margins.
- Worked and managed captive accounts alongside ZGEBS (Zurich Global Employee Benefits Solutions) from start to end.
- Actively managed relationships with internal customers and external clients, brokers, re-insurers to secure business.
- Managed total book of $100million in gross premiums.
- Underwriting authority handled was $1M.
- Calculated group renewal rates based on customers' background, industry and demographic information.
- Controlled loss by assessing risk, conducting system analysis and recommending policy solutions.
- Shaped and developed underwriting policies, practices and procedures to improve company standards.
- Established accurate risk assessments to identify potential vulnerability indicators.
- Maintained high-quality control standards in observance of audit protocols.
- Communicated risk parameters and value proposition to brokers and clients.
- Reported directly to Head of Group Underwriting, Zurich Insurance Group.
Zurich InsuranceDubai , UAE
Retail Life Underwriter
06.2015 - 12.2018
Job overview
- Assessed customer data to make informed decisions on risk levels.
- Calculated high net worth individual rates based on customers' background, industry and demographic information.
- Established accurate risk assessments to identify potential vulnerability indicators.
- Dealt with underwriting individuals including high net worth in health space for whole life, term assurance and savings products.
- Developed skills in underwriting and decided to shift internally to group risk for expanding knowledge and skills.
DeloitteHyderabad , India
External Audit Associate
08.2013 - 08.2014
Job overview
- First job right after master’s degree.
- Selected amongst 5 top students for campus placement.
- Investment vertical experience with major clients including Blackstone, Blackrock, McLean, TigerFund. Carried out thorough reviews of documents and completed accurate audit reports.
- Logged audit work, noted findings and compiled evidence of misdeeds.
- Reviewed and reported on audit delivery to improve resource and task planning.
- Defined audit outcomes and presented findings to stakeholders to improve strategy planning.
Education
Christ University Bangalore, India
Master's degree from Finance
06/2011 - 06/2013
University Overview
Kerala University Trivandrum, India
Bachelor of Commerce from Commerce
06/2009 - 05/2011
University Overview
Skills
- Global Client Program Management
- Large Corporate Account Management
- Corporate offering expert
- Skilled relationship manager
- Proactive leader
- Collaborative mindset
- Skilled negotiator
- Implementing Policy and Procedure
- Ability to Assess Compliance Vulnerabilities and Risk
Languages
English
Native
German
Beginner
Hindi
Native
Tamil
Native
Malayalam
Native
Timeline
Regional Group Life Underwriting Manager
Gulf Insurance Group
01.2022 - 01.2024
Senior Group Risk Underwriter
Zurich Insurance
01.2019 - 12.2021
Retail Life Underwriter
Zurich Insurance
06.2015 - 12.2018
External Audit Associate
Deloitte
08.2013 - 08.2014
Christ University
Master's degree from Finance
06/2011 - 06/2013
Kerala University
Bachelor of Commerce from Commerce
06/2009 - 05/2011
Other Interest
Other Interest
-Learning & practicing kickboxing
-Pilates & yoga lover
-Hiking
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