Recently, my classmates and I had an opportunity to speak with WSB MBA graduate Josh Berman (’16), who currently works in financial lines as the Assistant Vice President at Zurich North America. As always, speaking with an RMI alumnus was highly beneficial for us and provided our cohort with another chance to gain invaluable perspectives into the risk and insurance industry. As we discussed Josh’s current roles and past experiences, what stood out to me was his enthusiasm and eagerness to give us insights stemming from his past professional experiences, an aspect of our conversation that I know was appreciated by all and kept engagement high.
The first topic we discussed was his transition from various insurance businesses to the completion of his MBA, which led to his current role. When asked about how he weighs experience versus education in the purview of his success, Josh mentioned that both were significant in his career progression. It was also helpful to hear Josh elaborate on how he believed the MBA experience was important for the development of leadership skills as well as his understanding of different lines of insurance. He encouraged us to consider more than just salary when it comes to our initial career outlook and contemplate personal and professional goals, career trajectories, job exposure, and networking opportunities, particularly with other UW alumni.
We also discussed the future landscape of risk and insurance and how technology is increasingly shaping opportunities. For instance, small commercial lines of insurance are becoming increasingly automated whereas larger lines such as worker’s compensation, cyber insurance, and Director’s and Officer’s insurance, in which Josh is currently involved, are slightly more removed from this transformation for the time being.
Josh exemplifies the great success of WSB RMI MBA graduates and continues to give back to the program by facilitating positive interactions such as these that help students further develop various aspects of our MBA education and professional development.