Shaping a career in underwriting, Tola Akinoso’s Westcor journey
Image: Tola Akinoso: Assistant Underwriter
At Westcor, we know that our people are what sets us apart. They’re what drive the trust from our insurers, and it’s why our clients choose to work with us time and time again.
We’re fortunate to have a wide range of dedicated employees from those just starting out on their career path in underwriting, to those who bring decades of experience in the industry.
Tola Akinoso, Assistant Underwriter, is one such individual whose journey started out with Westcor three years ago and has demonstrated not only professional growth, but also the challenges and rewards of a career in underwriting.
Having studied at the University of York and subsequently completing the LPC LLM, Tola’s background in law was initially directed at a future in legal practice. It wasn’t until a friend introduced her to a job opportunity at Westcor that she discovered the world of title insurance. “I didn’t even know what an underwriter was until my friend sent me the job description, but I really enjoyed the real estate module of the LPC so thought it was worth exploring.” Tola admits. Yet, this chance introduction turned out to be a milestone in her career.
It was the scale of the business that appealed to Tola, “it’s nice to be in a company where you’re not overlooked, we’re a close team so there’s always support and advice available.”
Starting at Westcor straight from university, Tola was keen to get some corporate experience under her belt and quickly embraced the challenges of complex underwriting scenarios. “We try to find ways to make a risk insurable, even if it means being creative with how we structure the policy,” she shares. Whether it’s applying legal principles or negotiating terms, her background in law has been instrumental in guiding her underwriting decisions.
One notable moment in Tola’s career was receiving her first underwriting limit within just six months, a significant achievement given the industry standard for such responsibilities typically come later. This exposure to decision-making early on helped to accelerate her professional development. “It was only when I attended a networking event and spoke with other underwriters that I realised how early I’d been given that responsibility, it’s definitely a benefit of working in a supportive and growing environment like Westcor,” she reflects.
Networking has been an area of personal growth for Tola, and she has worked at stepping outside her comfort zone to engage with clients and widen her professional network. “It’s great to be challenged, and the support from my colleagues across all areas of learning, from the underwriting to the personal professional development, has been exceptional.”
Looking to the future, Tola aims to gain exposure to new areas of underwriting, such as rights of light, and continue expanding her knowledge in different jurisdictions, particularly following her recent experience with Westcor’s team in the Republic of Ireland.
For Tola, the underwriting journey so far has been one of continuous learning, growth, and stepping into roles of greater responsibility. It goes to show just what’s possible by exploring new opportunities and stepping out of the comfort zone.
