Meet Kyo Hirose, Manager, Integration and Operations, Corporate Legal
What is your backstory? Tell us about your path to Sompo International.
When I graduated from university in 2002, I joined Nipponkoa, which was the fifth largest P&C insurer in Japan and then merged with Sompo. I was interested in insurance, as I believe it is a sophisticated part of the infrastructure of our society to help people. This is why I have worked at Sompo for almost 20 years.
After experiencing several jobs through a typical “job rotation” system in Japanese companies, I got my CPA and CPCU licenses and was assigned to M&A Team at Sompo Holdings where I was involved in the acquisition of Endurance. I will never forget the excitement when we reached the agreement of the deal! I was then seconded to Sompo International in 2017 as an initial member of the integration project between Sompo and Endurance. One of my important roles is to develop mutual understandings between Sompo Japan and Sompo International and increase the corporate value of Sompo Group as a whole.
Give us three words to describe Sompo International.
Growing, agile and employee-friendly.
What is a trend you feel is impacting the industry and, more specifically, your role at the moment?
There has been and will be less borders between our industry and other industries. For example, automobile manufacturers will be able to obtain data, including accident history and driving behavior, through connected cars. They will disrupt the traditional insurance industry by utilizing big data if we stick to current business model. This could happen not only in personal lines, but also in commercial lines, and we should make ourselves a disruptor, otherwise we will be disrupted.
What advice do you have for prospective Sompo International candidates?
One of the biggest differentiators of Sompo from other potential employers is that Sompo operates in 29 countries worldwide. At Sompo, you could have an opportunity to work outside your home country. I assure you, this is a precious experience and is a path toward being a good leader who is happy to accept diversity and inclusion. I look forward to working with you in North America, Europe, Asia or wherever we can provide services to our clients.
Think back to your college graduation day. What is one thing you would tell yourself then?
Your decision to dive into the P&C insurance industry is an excellent one. You should spend more time to practicing English, as it will help you in the future. If I did so, I would find this interview much easier!
What would you do for a career if you weren’t doing this?
I would probably be working in the banking industry, as it is also a very important part of the infrastructure of our society. I am inspired by my colleagues on the legal team who have professional experiences utilizing their certifications as lawyers. I would be really excited to attend law school.
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us.
I was a company-sponsored student in Shenzhen, China for half a year and learned Mandarin Chinese. I studied very hard and earned an insurance broker license in China. I sometimes watch Chinese TV shows to maintain my Chinese language skills.