Interview with Keri Fraser, Westland’s Chief People Officer

Meet Keri Fraser

As Chief People Officer, Keri develops and oversees programs that ensure we attract, develop and engage our talented employees. She values Westland’s kind and entrepreneurial culture and is excited about implementing new, innovative technologies to support great employee experiences, satisfaction and engagement. A voice for positive change, Keri believes purpose is at the heart of Westland’s transformative growth.

What excites you about our industry?

The opportunities! I’m excited to share what a career in insurance can offer to people both inside and outside the industry. As someone who’s new to insurance, I’ve been surprised and inspired by the endless opportunities for people, especially within Westland. I think of it as the best kept secret, but I don’t want it to be a secret anymore!

Off the top of my head, I believe there are three key reasons to start a career in insurance:

• There are many different career paths someone can take. We have many stories to highlight those diverse paths
• Our people are genuine, kind, and ambitious. What’s unique and rare about Westland – compared to other industries and corporate environments – is that you can be all those things and thrive
• Insurance is a resilient and recession-proof industry. Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed other companies/industries shutter, downsize, or go through rounds of layoffs. We haven’t been impacted in the same way; in fact, we’ve continued to grow and invest in our people and business

How do you think the industry will change in the coming years?

Transformational change and innovation is more than consolidation and advances in technology. I believe it’s about purpose. Our clients and employees’ interests continue to evolve and want to work with companies with a clear purpose. People are making decisions based on how companies are approaching climate change, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and social justice. Declaring commitments isn’t enough; companies need to take real action or risk falling behind.

What’s the one thing that Westland is doing this year that you are most excited about?

If I had to choose one thing, it would be the Leadership Development Program we’re launching later this year. We know our leaders are critical to our vision to be a caring, modern and inclusive employer. We’re building a program that’s going to be transformative, amplifies our culture, and sustains Westland’s future.

What inspired you to take the path that you are in right now in your career?

I chose Human Resources because I love being a voice for positive change. Everything at work involves people and I enjoy thinking about how changes, decisions and actions impact our people. I then like to help navigate through those impacts in the most positive way.

I joined Westland in 2020 and was new to insurance. I had some knowledge as my father worked in the Insurance industry and watched him have a very fulfilling career until he retired. When the opportunity came up at Westland, I was already interested and was even more excited to be part of a company going through immense growth and transformation.