• Delphine Traore Maïdou has been in the insurance industry for over 20 years.
• After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 1996, she joined Ohio Casualty Group of Insurance initially as a Senior Commercial Multi-Lines Insurance Underwriter and Marketing Representative and later as Regional Underwriting Manager.
• In 2005, she joined Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) Canada and held positions of a Liability Underwriter and Head of Market Management where she was responsible for identifying potential markets, client and broker target segments to support business development across Canada.
• Delphine moved to South Africa in 2012 to take over as Chief Executive Officer for Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) Africa. She also oversaw Allianz’s Global Lines Strategy in Africa, which provides corporate, specialty, credit, reinsurance, travel and assistance risk solutions in the continent through AGCS, Euler Hermes, and Allianz Global Assistance.
• She joined the board of management of Africa as Chief Operations Officer (COO) in February 2017. She is now responsible for the development of Allianz’s business in the African continent. In addition, Delphine remains a non-executive member of the board of management of Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) Africa where she previously held the position of CEO.
• Delphine is a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) from the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters.
• She also holds a Master of Science in Insurance Management from Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (MA), USA.
• She graduated Cum Laude Bachelor of Science in Business and Accounting from University of Pittsburgh, in the United States of America (USA) in 1996.
• Delphine has been recognized widely on the continent for leadership in management and expertise in risk management and insurance.
• Some of the notable awards include: outstanding Woman Leadership Award at the 5th Africa Leadership Awards held in Mauritius in 2015 and annual ranking as one of the top economic leaders for tomorrow by the Choiseul 100 Africa study in 2015 and 2014.
• Allianz entered the South African market in 1949, but left in the year 2000. The reputation and image of the company needed to be restored when Allianz re-entered the market in 2010 to focus on corporate and industrial insurance through Allianz Global Corporate & Specialist (AGCS) Africa. Delphine has done a sterling job in restoring the trust that brokers and clients need.
• The corporate insurance market in South Africa is driven by the broker market, which relies on relationships with insurers. The distribution model works well, but at times clients may not fully understand and get the value from a global insurer like Allianz. So Delphine launched a Client Academy which offers clients insights and thought leadership on risk management and insurance. The concept has brought the insurer a lot more closely to clients.
• Turned the company around with a sustained increase in profitability year on year. African business outside South Africa increased by 1500% between 2013-2015. The growth in Gross Written Premium over three years (2013-2015) is 53%. This required a complete change in the business model and mind-set from the end of 2012.
• She was elected in July 2015 as the president of the Insurance Institute of South Africa's first black female president in the organisation’s 117 history and has worked hard to increase collaboration for the institute of the AIO and other similar organization in Africa to create capacity within the industry.
• She is also a member of the of the Outbreak & Epidemic (O&E) Advisory Panel of the African Risk Capacity where she contributes to the development of an insurance product for the African Union and African Risk Capacity Member States against outbreak and epidemic.
• Delphine is socially responsible as enables young women and men to develop and achieve their career aspirations through mentorship and sponsorship.
• She is currently formally mentoring a number of people formally and informally especially those that do not have the means or the network.
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