Interview with Kate O’Connor, Head of Business Development

FIRSTLY Kate, tell us a little about yourself and your career to date?

I joined AIG, Dublin straight after finishing a Masters in East Asian Politics in 2011. Initially, my plans were to work there temporarily while saving to move back to China, but things didn’t go quite to plan! The draw of a career in underwriting proved too enticing and I remained in AIG for 4 years before moving to DUAL. During my time in AIG, I was lucky enough to be selected to join 10 European colleagues on an Underwriting and Development Masters course in the UK. Delivered over a number of weeks, the course taught us in depth technical underwriting skills and also focused on building our softer business development skills. I gained so much knowledge through this course and was able to bring this information back to AIG, where I moved to the Commercial Combined underwriting department. I loved my time in AIG but when the opportunity arose to join a new underwriting MGA, DUAL, I jumped at the chance. In the beginning, it was just myself and our Managing Director, Barry O’Dwyer, in DUAL Ireland. We focused the first few months on building a solid foundation on which to grow a healthy, profitable business and I am so proud of how far we have come. We now have over 20 employees in DUAL Ireland – split across our Private Client and DUAL Asset teams. We are also in the process of launching a number of new products in 2024. I am so grateful for the opportunities that I have been afforded in DUAL, and I am excited to see where we can grow to as a company. The future looks bright and exciting!
 

You have just returned to DUAL from maternity leave, what do you think are the main challenges working parents face returning to work?

I quickly realised that there are so many challenges faced by parents returning to work after any kind of leave. I personally experienced a wide range of emotions, such as anxiety, guilt, sadness, self-doubt, stress and overwhelm, when I returned to the office. One of the most difficult challenges for me to overcome was the feeling of being an impostor in my role. I no longer trusted my own judgement and lacked a confidence in my ability to complete my role, as I had done for the previous 8 years. Before going on maternity leave, I was very sure of my abilities, but I struggled to find that same confidence when I returned. It felt like the business and the industry had moved on without me and I was struggling to try and catch back up. Thankfully, my colleagues have been so supportive and patient with me over the past few weeks. With their help, I have slowly found myself trusting in my judgement and voicing my opinions again. Another challenge that seems common amongst most working parents is the non-stop guilt that follows us around. I feel guilty in work that my mind wanders to thinking about the baby. I feel guilty outside of work that I am not spending enough time with him as I need to catch up on cleaning or cooking or general housework. I’m not sure if this guilt is something that will ever go away and so this is another new aspect of life I am learning to get to grips with. I also struggled with separation anxiety from my little boy, having spent every day of the past 12 months with him. Sending him off to crèche so I could go back to work was really challenging and of course, allowed me to experience the infamous ‘Mom guilt’! However, I quickly realised that this was the best thing for both of us. Returning to work allowed me to remember who I was before becoming a Mam, and how my life consisted of more than just wake windows and weaning. Similarly, going to crèche everyday has allowed my little guy to socialise with a wide group of kids, and provides him with stimulating days away from our house. We have seen such positive changes in his personality since joining crèche. 

Do you have any tips for the work/life balance and what advice would you give anyone returning from maternity leave?

Preparation really is key, and by making sure you have some key areas organised as early as possible – the transition can be relatively smooth.

• Communication. Speak with colleagues and management in advance of coming back to the office about what is expected of you when you return. Find out if there have been any changes in the office, the team or even the actual role. What will the handover process be like? Will there be flexibility in working arrangements? Also, it is really important to be honest with management and colleagues about any struggles you may be experiencing. I know that I am very fortunate to work in a company that really puts their employees at the forefront – but I feel that most people will understand if you explain that you had a sleepless night, or if your baby is sick. Some days you just might not be able to function as good as others. If you keep the lines of communication open with your team then they can help you out on days you are struggling. In DUAL, our team are all so supportive and will always help if someone is struggling.

• Childcare. Make sure to sort childcare as early as possible! I live in Wexford and most childcare facilities are already fully booked a year in advance. Even though I had reserved a space for my child a year in advance, I had to take extended leave as his entry date into crèche was delayed. This didn’t really help with the overall stress of returning to work but thankfully now that he is settled in crèche, I can rest assured that he is happy and well looked after while I work.
• Flexibility. I am so lucky to work for a company that truly understands the importance of work-life balance. I am able to work from home a number of days a week and this allows me to spend quality time with my family before and after work, rather than wasting time commuting. There is such little downtime outside of work as my boy wakes only an hour before crèche and is in bed an hour after getting home, so I really cherish the days where I work from home and can spend those 2 hours with him. These small things really add up, and having a flexible working arrangement can be very beneficial for both staff and employers

DUAL Underwriting Ireland DAC (trading as DUAL Private Client) is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.Registered No. 633531. Registered office: 98 St.Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2 D02 V324.