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Progress in corporate insurance rarely happens in sweeping moments. More often, it unfolds through everyday conversations – driven by leaders who bring both expertise and conviction to the table.
This International Women’s Day, we’re proud to recognise Elite Women 2026 winners Dionne Bowers and Wendy Madevu. These two leaders who are not only excelling in corporate insurance but also helping to shape a more inclusive and dynamic future for the industry.
For both women, the journey has included moments of doubt, decisive growth and intentional advocacy that continue to shape their leadership today.
Owning your place at the table
For Dionne, belonging became real the moment she stopped waiting for permission:
"It wasn’t until I left corporate life shortly after the murder of George Floyd that I truly began to find a sense of belonging. Claiming a seat at the table is an intentional act; however, when prevailing leadership norms do not create space for you to show up authentically, you must be willing to think differently—and build your own table. That is precisely what I chose to do in 2020, when conversations with two industry colleagues highlighted the persistent representation gap within the insurance sector.
In 2026, despite ongoing efforts toward equity, many women feel that meaningful progress has stalled—echoing challenges from more than six decades ago. Identifying environments where women can speak up, be visible, and lead with confidence—supported by genuine allies and empowered to show up authentically—has become increasingly complex. This is especially concerning given the significant value women contribute to organizational culture, strategic thinking, and decision-making.
That shift fundamentally changed how I approach leadership. Rather than conforming to expectations, I intentionally ensure that my perspectives are heard, recognizing that diverse viewpoints strengthen both decision‑making and organizational outcomes. For organizations committed to cultivating a culture of belonging, it is essential to understand that true belonging is rooted in being accepted for who you are—not for who you are expected to be."
Wendy focuses less on whether she belonged and more on how she could contribute:
"It’s not about owning your place—it’s about making the table wider. True ownership isn’t solitary; it’s about sponsorship and normalizing women’s excellence in leadership so the next woman isn’t treated as an exception.
Owning your place is less about volume and more about presence. It’s knowing that your lived experience sharpens your judgment, deepens your empathy, and strengthens your decision‑making.
It’s understanding that your leadership style does not need to mirror someone else’s to be effective.
And perhaps most importantly, it’s recognizing that you do not need to prove you deserve the seat every time you sit down. It’s understanding that diversity is not charity—it is a competitive advantage. Our lived experience sharpens our judgment, strengthens our empathy, and deepens our leadership."
Breaking leadership myths
Both leaders are candid about the misconceptions that still surround women in executive and leadership roles.
For Dionne, one of the most persistent myths is that effective leadership requires sacrificing empathy:
"I think we must begin by challenging outdated perceptions of what leadership should look and sound like. There is a persistent myth that the loudest voice in the room—the so-called “babble effect”—signals capability; that leaders must be infallible; and that projecting relentless ambition, dominance, and aggression equates to effectiveness. These traits do not define strong leadership, nor do they consistently produce the best outcomes.
The single most important ingredient in developing a strong leader is character. This encompasses integrity, self-awareness, determination, empathy, courage, optimism, intellectual curiosity and so much more. While formal education and professional credentials are valuable, truly effective leaders often demonstrate qualities that extend beyond what can be taught in a classroom—attributes rooted in character and consistently reflected in their actions."
Wendy notes that expectations around leadership style can also be limiting:
"Breaking leadership myths isn’t about changing who women are. It’s about changing how leadership is defined. For too long, leadership has been framed around a narrow prototype, often equating authority with a single communication style, confidence with a particular personality, and executive presence with familiarity. When women enter those spaces, they are frequently measured against that legacy standard rather than evaluated on outcomes, strategy, and impact.
Breaking this myth means shifting from tokenism to normalization. When women move from “the exception” to “part of the leadership fabric,” culture changes. Breaking leadership myths, ultimately, is about sustainability. When leadership definitions expand, organizations gain access to the full range of talent available to them.
The goal isn’t to make women lead differently. The goal is to ensure leadership is broad enough to recognize excellence when it looks different."
Their shared view is clear: leadership is less about conforming to a template and more about building trust, offering support, delivering results and staying grounded in one’s values.
Dismantling barriers in corporate insurance
Corporate insurance remains a demanding field, particularly at senior levels, and navigating it has required resilience and intention.
Wendy recalls confronting a barrier that ultimately strengthened her confidence:
"Corporate insurance has traditionally rewarded a narrow leadership prototype often relationship-based in a way that favors those already inside established networks. While the industry has evolved significantly, remnants of those structures still influence who is seen as “leadership-ready”.
Dismantling barriers is not just about individual advancement; it’s about systemic recalibration and how we go about things like promotions and recognition. It means intentionally placing diverse talent in critical and visibility‑heavy roles.
Dismantling barriers in corporate insurance is not about lowering standards. It’s about removing invisible ones. It’s about recognizing that leadership capability is not confined to a historical template."
For Dionne, growth came from pushing beyond perceived limits:
"Dismantling barriers within the corporate insurance sector is a complex undertaking. However, any meaningful conversation must acknowledge the systemic obstacles that continue to persist for women—particularly women of color.
Among the most visible of these barriers are the leadership and representation gaps across the industry. In its 2025 article, “Breaking Barriers: Advancing Women in Insurance,” EY (in collaboration with ISC Group) highlights stark disparities:
- Women comprise 66% of the insurance workforce
- Just over 25% hold Vice President roles
- Only 18% hold Senior Vice President positions
- Only 7 of 100 CEOs at Canada’s publicly traded companies are women
In 2026, we are still having this conversation because progress for women in leadership remains uneven and incomplete. Limited representation, internalized misogyny, networking gaps, and stifled confidence continue to shape access to opportunity and advancement. Until women move from being the exception to being fully integrated into the leadership fabric, these systemic barriers will persist.
If organizations are not prepared to confront these challenges directly—and embed tangible, measurable metrics tied to C‑suite performance and accountability—then these barriers will remain, and progress will stall. The question is not whether change is difficult. The question is whether we are willing to make it measurable—and therefore real"
Leading authentically
In high-performance environments, women are often told directly or indirectly, to be “less” of one trait or “more” of another. Dionne and Wendy have chosen a different approach. Dionne explains her approach:
"As Andrea Petrone – who calls himself the CEO Whisperer – aptly said: “Your leadership team agrees with everything you say. That’s not alignment. That’s a warning sign. If your leadership team won’t challenge you in the room, you don’t have a team.”
A culture of groupthink does not cultivate genuine leadership. Authentic leadership requires guiding teams with integrity, self-awareness, and transparency—aligning decisions and behaviors with core values rather than authority or ego. It means being genuine, vulnerable, and consistent. This approach builds trust, fosters psychological safety, and drives higher engagement.
Authentic leaders take ownership of their mistakes and lead with clarity and purpose. Missteps are inevitable in leadership; no one gets it right every time. What differentiates exceptional leaders from average ones is their readiness to acknowledge their own shortcomings, assume responsibility, and course correct—before their team feels compelled to do so."
Wendy agrees, noting that authenticity becomes a powerful leadership tool over time:
"Early in my leadership journey, I became acutely aware of how easily strong decision-making could be labeled as “too direct,” while the same behaviour in others was simply called “leadership.” That awareness can tempt you to shrink, soften, or over-explain.
But leading authentically means understanding that my perspective, shaped by experience, resilience, and navigating rooms where I’m often the only one, is not something to dilute. It is something to leverage. For me, authenticity has meant shifting from asking, “How do I need to adjust to be accepted?” to asking, “How do I lead in a way that reflects my values and still drives results?” True leadership comes when you no longer spend energy performing and instead invest it in impact."
Looking forward
As Elite Women 2026 winners, both see recognition not as a finish line but as a platform for continued impact:
"I have always sought to lead by example in everything I do. Leading within a corporate environment requires a high degree of emotional intelligence. Leaders who cultivate this capability actively support the development of their people and, ideally, sponsor them in ways that ensure their contributions are recognized—not only within their immediate roles, but across the broader organization. We need more intentional sponsors—across all backgrounds, who possess varied perspectives and experiences—not only those who mirror our own.
It is also important to remember that exceptional women who demonstrate strong leadership do not always hold the most prominent titles. Leadership is not defined by hierarchy alone. When you lead with integrity, confidence and earn the respect of others through the value you bring, you ARE a leader in every meaningful sense."
Wendy adds that visibility and diversity play an important role in shaping future leaders.
"Throughout my career, I have learned that leadership is less about titles and more about influence, integrity, and the courage to take up space. Being named an Elite Woman gives me an even greater platform to lead authentically and to create environments where high performance and humanity can coexist. It allows me to amplify conversations around leadership, representation, and excellence in our industry. It gives me the opportunity to mentor more intentionally, advocate more boldly, and continue shaping the insurance world in a way that balances results with people.
I’m excited about what’s ahead, not just for me, but for the teams and women coming up behind me. The goal is not simply to succeed. It’s to leave the door wider open than I found it."
This International Women’s Day, their stories offer a simple but powerful reminder: leadership is increasingly defined not by tradition but by performance, integrity and inclusion.
Dionne Bowers
Account Executive, National Business Development
Wendy L. Madevu
Claims Manager