Valerie started working for the Hannover Re Group 25 short years ago in the technical accounting department. Having spent 4 years heading up the Company’s Internal Audit Department, Valerie joined Lireas in 1999 and has been the Managing Director for 16 years.
Lireas is the investment Holding Company for the Hannover Re Africa Group and has been investing in UMAs for the past 30 years. More recently Lireas was given a mandate to invest in insurtech businesses and currently has made 4 insurtech investments with others in the pipeline.
Valerie says of her position as Lireas MD:
“There aren’t too many people who can say that they love what they do I am one of those fortunate individuals! Managing and working with entrepreneurs forover 16years has been both stimulating and challenging. Whilst Lireas has retained its insurance focus of investing in Underwriting Managers, our journey into Insurtech for the past 3 years makes me feel like we have reinvented ourselves. Managing and steering entrepreneurs which comes with many challenges, is deeply rewarding when we all get it right together.”
Watch Valerie’s presentation below titled ‘ The trek to insurtech’