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Renuka Manokaran

  • Job Title: Senior Risk Consultant
  • Business: Marsh Advisory
  • Office Location: Auckland
  • Joined Marsh: May 2018
  • Interests: Dancing (Bharatha Natyam or semi-classical), netball, spending time with family and friends 

 

 

 

What is your role at Marsh? 

My role as a Senior Risk Engineer in the Marsh Advisory team involves mostly visiting client sites and undertaking property risk evaluation site surveys to prepare underwriting information reports to help: 

  • inform existing and/or prospective insurers’ underwriting decisions,
  • help Marsh placement brokers negotiate the best available insurance cover, terms and pricing, and
  • assist clients with their risk management decision making process by providing risk improvement opportunities. 

I have worked with a variety of clients, including the power and energy sector in which I am specialising. Other services that I have been involved at Marsh includes Cyber Risk Management and Risk Focus workshops. 

What do you do to make others feel included?

I try to always be myself and share my experiences or questions which hopefully allows others to feel comfortable to share their experience and questions that they are working on. There is always something to learn from everyone. If we can help others feel involved it will only help us learn and produce a greater result for the client as well.

Who is your inspiration?

My first inspiration is my mother, who didn’t have the opportunity to study further at university in Sri Lanka and started off as a housewife. She decided to break outside her comfort zone here in New Zealand and work as teacher’s aide to help financially support and raise me and my siblings. Growing up, I have always heard her stories of her life and work experiences which has only helped us realise how much talent is hidden within people and how much you can learn and motivate people from sharing your experience. She has been the biggest support in my life and has always pushed me to try every opportunity that comes my way. She always says ‘no opportunity can ever be a waste. It will always teach you something! There is no harm in trying it out.’

What is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?

Today, we live in a world full of opportunities and there is no single fixed path after university so don’t worry if you don’t know where to start and where it will go. But remember one thing, never say no quickly to any new opportunity that comes to you. Usually these opportunities only lead to bigger and greater opportunities that you didn’t know existed in the first place. I never even thought of the insurance industry when I was studying at university. When I was approached for the Risk Consultant role at Marsh, I really didn’t know what I said yes to. Today, I am so grateful for accepting the role as Marsh has given me so many site work opportunities to explore and see what I am capable of achieving.   

As a side note, with new opportunities, the learning process can be scary especially when you find yourself out of your comfort zone or lacking experience. Always remember, the person offering to you would not have provided you the opportunity if they didn’t believe you could do it so always believe in yourself and try your best. 

What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?

Never be afraid to ask questions. We often think we may have missed something just said or afraid we might sound stupid but most of the time other people in the room are going through the same thought process as you. 

What excites you about working at Marsh?

The numerous travel and site visit opportunities to places that I never imagined (despite being reduced due to Covid).  I have surveyed hydro dam power stations, hospitals, prisons, processing factories, sawmill, dairy factories, multi high rise buildings, shopping centres etc. The list goes on. On these site visits, you get to see in person how the business operates and is structured, future projects and plans, how utilities and infrastructure are fed, how machinery and equipment are maintained and their risk management controls. Not many work opportunities give you this much exposure.

More importantly, the main reason I enjoy working at Marsh is the company culture and my highly talented team mates! They are always willing to share their experience and knowledge. I would like to take this opportunity to give a shout out to my Auckland team mates and the brokers I have worked with for their continuous support and opportunities. I look forward to expanding my network and working with more people at Marsh. 

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Celebrating International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month

Get to know some of our colleagues, who have helped us become the world’s leading insurance broker and risk advisor.

 

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