Q
You grew up in Houston but have lived in London since college. What brought you there?
A
I came to do a year of work experience in 1990, and I just kept extending it. So I have ended up living here, getting married, having kids here. It’s not what I expected, but it’s been great.
FAVORITE VACATION SPOT: Galveston, Texas
FAVORITE ACTOR: Clint Eastwood
FAVORITE MUSICIAN: “I’d probably range from Johnny Cash all the way to Led Zeppelin.”
FAVORITE AUTHOR: John Irving
FAVORITE JOHN IRVING BOOK: A Prayer for Owen Meany (“A couple of other all-time favorites by other authors are Crime and Punishment and Of Human Bondage.”)
FAVORITE LONDON RESTAURANT: Chutney Mary
FAVORITE DISH AT CHUTNEY MARY: Green curry chicken
Q
What's your favorite part of living in London?
A
The history here is very cool. Sometimes I walk to work—not very often now, but I did a lot during COVID—and it was just so weird to think of all the things that I walked past that are just on my normal walk to work: the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the Ministry of Defense, Buckingham Palace. So it’s just the whole city, so full of history and just fascinating.
Q
Do you come across many Texans in London?
A
Sure. There’s tons of clients who make their annual, or more often, visits here. My background’s in oil and gas, and there’s tons of oil and gas clients, and all kinds of clients, who come here.
Q
What was your favorite class in high school?
A
English.
Q
Why?
A
I loved my teacher. I like to read, so, yeah, I loved English.
Q
What’s the one thing most Americans get wrong about London? And the one thing most Londoners get wrong about Houston?
A
When I first moved here, and then when I ended up getting married, for about 10 years every vacation we went to Houston, until my husband was like, “This is not a place where people go on vacation. This is not normal.” So I think most English people do not consider Houston a vacation spot during the heat of the Texas summer.
What do Houston people get wrong about English people? I’d probably say that English people are maybe a little—I don’t know—laced up tight, and they’re really not.
Q
Your kids must have quite an experience spending that much time in Houston?
A
They have loved it, and they can speak all sports because of it. They follow the Texans and the Astros, and they’re very versed in sports that maybe some English people might not care about. And they have taught my dad about cricket.
My uncle one year was chairman of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. I brought them all to Houston for the rodeo. And so I think they would definitely all remember coming to Houston for two days to go to the rodeo.
Q
What did they think of the rodeo?
A
Loved it.
Q
Did they know what a rodeo was?
A
I’m sure they did, but it’s nothing like going and experiencing it.
Q
You’ve been in the insurance industry for more than 25 years. What has kept you in the business?
A
I grew up working here in London and it has been such a great career, and this is a really exciting place to work. The part that I’m from—energy—is a very exciting market, huge values, huge structures, and so different all the time. It’s just a very fascinating place to work.
Q
What three words would your co-workers use to describe your management style?
A
I don’t know what they would say, but I hope they would think that we’re in it together.
Q
If you could change one thing about the insurance industry, what would it be?
A
I would change the outdated infrastructure and have everything be modern and digital without having to do all the hard work to make that happen.
Q
What gives you your leader's edge?
A
It’s not hard to understand me. I think I’m a straightforward person and a clear communicator, or at least I aspire to be.
