We are thrilled Claire has made the move to join IDEX as Client Director working within the General Insurance Leadership team. As a business IDEX are keen to ensure we are able to provide our clients with a service that not only supports their requirements today but also looks to the future to ensure what we offer evolves with the business in this rapidly changing market. Claire’s role will be fundamental to this, focusing on how we can achieve business transformation and growth for our clients. We spoke to Claire about what it was that attracted her to IDEX and how she feels about being a female leader.
What is it about IDEX and the role that is exciting?
IDEX is a leading independent specialist consultancy business with a good market reputation. They encourage entrepreneurial spirit within the organization and operate under a flat structure; so the business can be more nimble with greater flexibility, therefore, driving decisions quickly and effectively.
The senior leadership team recognizes that the war on talent is as prolific as ever, therefore, the need for innovation and transformation in the way consultancy businesses service their clients is as important as ever. IDEX has the vision, investment, and drive to adapt to the evolving market, making this an exciting time to join the business as they navigate through growth and change.
IDEX has grown into so much more than a recruitment business. Our desire to innovate and drive change both internally and amongst the clients and candidates we work with was one of things that attracted Claire to the business.
What does it mean to be a female leader in a sector which is notoriously male biased?
The specialist recruitment industry is still predominately male led. I have been navigating the sector and building my career over a 20-year period and although the balance is trying to be addressed, the sector is behind the curve. I think it’s important to continue to challenge the unconscious bias in the workplace, but it’s more important to be an inspirational leader and figure head encouraging diversity and inclusion and supporting all voices in teams.
Being a working mum and woman in leadership doesn’t come without its challenges; there are pervasive stereotypes and sometimes you feel your voice needs to be that little bit louder, you do a lot of juggling and can sometimes have a confidence crisis that you are not there enough for your child or that you could be doing more for the business, this can leave you feeling conflicted. I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by mentors throughout my career that encouraged empowerment, self-belief and taught me the value of listening. In turn, I am committed to championing other women in the sector - it’s important to have diversity of thought in any business and women have a different style and approach to our male counterparts - neither better than the other just different. Having a more diverse leadership in the business means we can collaborate better, make better judgements and more rounded decisions and pass this collective knowledge and experience onto our clients, tailoring solutions and serving our clients better.
We are really excited to have Claire on board and look forward to seeing her wealth of experience add value to our clients. Claire has an excellent platform to build on the consultancy work we are already doing that we think puts us in an even better place to advise, help and guide our clients in the future.
For more information on how Claire can help with business growth, contact her on:
claire.capehorn@idexconsulting.com
