2023 awards presented in a ceremony at Geneva Association Summit 50, the organisation’s 50th-anniversary event
ZURICH, 29 November 2023 – The Geneva Association is pleased to announce the joint winners of its 2023 Women in Insurance Award: Caroline Feeney, CEO of U.S. Businesses, and Salene Hitchcock-Gear, president of Individual Life Insurance, both with Prudential Financial.
The award selection committee – comprised of Christian Mumenthaler, CEO of Swiss Re and Chairman of The Geneva Association; Yuan Siong Lee, Group Chief Executive & President of AIA Group; and Anna Manning, CEO of Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) – selected Caroline Feeney and Salene Hitchcock-Gear for their demonstrated commitment to inclusion, both within Prudential Financial and in the communities it serves.
By leading the development of innovative financial solutions, Feeney and Hitchcock-Gear have been instrumental in expanding customer access to investing, insurance and retirement security, particularly for underserved communities such as Black Americans. They are also recognised for role modelling inclusive behaviours themselves, including through their sponsorship of an employee resource group that supported women during the pandemic as they negotiated unique challenges – both personally and professionally.
Christian Mumenthaler, Chairman of The Geneva Association and CEO of Swiss Re, said: “Caroline and Salene have rolled out a comprehensive set of inclusion initiatives at Prudential Financial – for example, programmes that bring financial solutions to a range of underprivileged communities – while also creating safe spaces for Prudential employees to voice their struggles and receive support. We are excited to recognise these two leaders and their achievements. They show that the insurance industry is a diversity champion and effectively tackles societal problems.”
Caroline Feeney, CEO of U.S. Businesses at Prudential Financial, said: “I am honoured to receive this distinction from The Geneva Association with Salene. Understanding the unique goals and barriers people face when it comes to investing, insurance and retirement security are at the heart of Prudential’s vision. As an industry, amid one of the most complex landscapes we’ve seen in decades, we must continue to embrace diversity and inclusivity in the workplace and expand access to support the lifelong financial security of more people.”
Salene Hitchcock-Gear, president of Individual Life Insurance at Prudential Financial, said: “At Prudential, we strongly believe in the power and promise of a financially secure tomorrow. I am grateful to be receiving this award alongside Caroline. It’s not only a reminder of the progress we’ve made to fulfill our company’s purpose to make lives better by solving the financial challenges of a changing world, but also a call to action to continue to make insurance a force for good.”
Caroline Feeney joined Prudential Financial in 1993 and is currently CEO of U.S. Businesses. Among her accomplishments, Feeney spearheaded the development of the “Pathways” program, which promotes financial education through Prudential’s partnerships with workplaces. She was also the first executive sponsor of Prudential’s Women Empowered business resource group, which now has 3,000 members. She is a member of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women and was the first woman to receive the Round Table of New York’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Salene Hitchcock-Gear started at Prudential Financial in 2017 as chief operating officer of Prudential Advisors and is currently president of Individual Life Insurance. Hitchcock-Gear is the first woman of colour to lead this business. She has led efforts to create a line of simplified financial solutions that are easier to understand and simpler to purchase, with a focus on helping Black communities in the United States. As a director on the Women Presidents’ Organization Advisory Board, Hitchcock-Gear supports female business leaders in furthering their success. She also serves on the board of trustees of the American College of Financial Services and the Life Insurance Committee of the American Council of Life Insurers.
