Episode 1: Emerging Actuarial Leaders with Laura Zhao
“Volunteer. That’s the most practical advice I can give to younger actuaries, because building a network is important and building a network in an effective way is even more important.
Through volunteering, t
he connection is closer and deeper and that's how you meet and build connections with people in an effective way.”
Laura Zhao,
Emerging Actuarial Leader
Laura is a qualified actuary with the Institute of Actuaries in Australia. Born and bred in China, she moved to Sydney a decade ago and formed her family here. Laura is currently a senior underwriter at Freely, a travel insurance startup. Prior to Freely, Laura worked in IAG and Suncorp, predominantly in pricing and data analytics projects. In her spare time, she enjoys building Lego sets and traveling with her family.
In this interview I ask Laura about:
What it was like moving from China to Australia,
About her experience getting qualified and building a career while also parenting her son,
What she enjoys most about being part of the actuarial profession,
What she found the most challenging about her first management experience,
What she finds most interesting about her current role,
How she makes her career decisions, and
Her top tip for young actuaries hoping to build their career.
Connect with Laura on LinkedIn.
