CALI recognises leadership potential

The Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI) is recognising up-and-coming leaders in the industry with the launch of the ReCALIbrate Women in Life Insurance Pathway.

Eight women have been recognised as movers and shakers in life insurance, working across financial advice, claims, underwriting, legal services and product development.

From TAL, the recipients are senior product manager Viraj Mody and technical and capability manager Charlotte Gee.

In the financial advice sector, Lautum Life senior financial adviser Nga Vu has been recognised.

ClearView's senior product manager Cass Reifenstein was also recognised for her work in products.

The other recipients are AIA senior legal counsel Madeleine Merriman, Zurich technical underwriting lead Honor Grant-Henness, NobleOak head of claims Amity McCarthy and Acenda Life head of retention and customer experience Touk Phanthana.

Delivered in partnership with Future Women, the recipients will be enrolled in Future Women's Platinum+ Emerging Leaders program. They will also receive a 12-month Future Women membership, including career planning tools, expert-led masterclasses, group mentoring and networking.

"The future of life insurance depends on the talent we back today," CALI chief executive Christine Cupitt said.

"ReCALIbrate will give these women the support to take the next step in leadership and put their ideas into practice. When we back women to lead, we back the people they mentor, the teams they build, and the customers they serve."

Future Women founder and managing director Helen McCabe said the partnership would help experienced women translate expertise into influence.

"These women have already shown what they can do. We want to help them take that further and create opportunities for themselves and others to follow.

"Having people who challenge your thinking, share their experience, and back your ambition can change the direction of your career," she said.

The eight leadership program recipients join Aisha Elnour from Beaulife and Kristen Agius from Perera Crowther Financial Services, who are the first two of 10 ReCALIbrate recipients in its expanded 2026 program.