Learn, persist, and adapt to change | The lessons of a challenging project

This month, as International Women’s Day is celebrated, we have gathered stories that had the central participation of women from our team. Next, we shall learn about a pioneering project that relied on the dedication of members Beatriz Schiesari and Vanessa Falco. Check it out!

Horiens’ members Beatriz Schiesari and Vanessa Falco are experienced professionals in the risk and insurance area, with many challenges and overcoming moments in their careers.

One of these challenges, however, is remembered by them in a special way for several reasons: for the pioneering spirit, for the number of obstacles they had to overcome, for the unity and integration of the team, and, finally, for the important result generated for the client.

We are talking about the project that led a large Horiens client to be the first Latin American company to become a member of Everen Insurance Limited (formerly OIL), a select group of 63 companies in the energy segment that, together, form a mutual insurance company, with broad coverage for material damages.

Vanessa Falco

In practice, participating in Everen means that each member is a co-insurer of the others, bringing capacity at a more competitive price, which helps to compose a more interesting risk cost equation for those who participate in the group.

Conducting this client through the process of joining Everen was a true mission for the Horiens team, a journey that took about five years. “Being accepted as a member of Everen is a complex matter. It is not enough to want to be part of it, you need to have adherence to the prerequisites and meet a very demanding subscription process,” says Vanessa.

“In addition, because it is an organization with a unique and exclusive format, its operation mechanism and specifics are not known to the market in general. We held numerous meetings with the insurance market before structuring the insurance program in the new design,” she adds.

From idea to result
Among the natural ups and downs of a project of this complexity, one certainty easily emerges from Beatriz and Vanessa’s memories: the importance of persisting even when the scenario seems too dense.

Beatriz Schiesari

“There were countless hours of study, analysis, meetings. At some points along the way, we had to step back to realign points and then be able to move forward,” explains Beatriz.

When the Horiens team brought the idea of joining Everen to the client, they knew they would have to learn and teach all the time, since Horiens played a liaison role in the project, making the necessary connections with the company, the insurance market, and Everen.

“The challenges were many, but I would say that learning to teach was the first of them, always with humility and the wisdom to listen,” ponders Beatriz.

The strength of a plural team

Giving up is not part of the vocabulary of this Horiens team. “Our team is very diverse and collaborative, starting with our leader, Eduardo Damião. With his serenity and optimism, he was fundamental, always there pushing us to evolve, to give the best of ourselves,” says Vanessa.

“Eduardo envisioned Everen’s idea in a brilliant way and believed in it contagiously. The whole team got on board and we made it happen, each contributing their knowledge and skills. In 2018, our client became the first Latin American company to become a member of Everen, a position maintained until today,” adds Beatriz.

“The process and the challenges are ongoing since the insurance program can always be structured in a new format, constantly seeking the best outcome for our client,” Vanessa concludes.

Learning is an opportunity

Beatriz and Vanessa do not hesitate to say how much they have learned on this journey. “I would start all over again, the process was very rich, both from technical and personal aspects. Having the opportunity and space to challenge ourselves makes us better human beings and professionals,” explains Vanessa.

For Beatriz, the diversity of opinions and views was an important characteristic of the project. “I have the opportunity to work in an environment where diversity of perspectives and opinions is valued and this was very relevant in this project, after all, a process like this is built from many discussions and we always came out with more elements than we entered.  It was an important exercise in humility and a great opportunity for development,” she concludes.

Horiens Chemical and Petrochemical Risk and Insurance Team