081: Four Words That Will Change Your Career with Lesley Charteris

Sign up to Coffee with Sandra to stay up to date with all things 100 Women in Insurance. Summary In this episode, Sandra speaks with Lesley Charteris, about why it’s never too late to start again, how to overcome fear, and the four words that can change the direction of your career: I can do it. Lesley shares her journey from industrial chemistry to 40 years in the London insurance market, before retraining in her 50s to specialise in cybersecurity. She talks about recognising your strengths, valuing experience over qualifications, and the importance of lifelong learning. She also opens up about navigating gender bias, the misconceptions around AI, and why creating a no-blame culture is essential for building cyber resilience. Her message is clear: “if you can read a book, you can do anything”, and if you put your hand up, opportunities will follow. Takeaways You don’t need to have it all figured out, career transitions can happen at any stage Continuous learning is the key to staying relevant Attitude and curiosity matter more than credentials Don’t fear being the only woman in the room , our perspective is powerful Self-advocacy and confidence create opportunities Digital transformation in insurance requires cultural change as much as technology Cybersecurity isn’t new, it’s about people as much as systems A no-blame culture encourages learning and reporting mistakes If you think you can’t do it, think again About the guest Connect with Lesley Charteris on LinkedIn About the host Connect with Sandra Lewin on LinkedIn Sign up to ‘Coffee with Sandra’ newsletter to stay up to date on all 100 Women In Insurance and more. Join ‘The Pink Book’ Collective, private LinkedIn Group connecting women in insurance to find mentors, speaking opportunities and much more. Learn more about the 100 Women in Insurance Collective: www.100womenininsurance.com/collective