If you don’t ask, you don’t get: Nadine Accaoui shares her leadership journey

I trained as an actuary, and until becoming the regional CFO for the MMEA region I was very much an actuarial professional for almost 20 years. I’m good at numbers – I Iove it! But honestly, there are people out there that are born mathematicians. And I’m not one of them! When I became Regional CFO in 2018, I discovered that I really enjoyed being a generalist in the finance field. It was very stimulating to move away from my technical ‘bubble’ and get more involved in the business.

As I gained maturity in the role and demonstrated my competence, I felt like taking an even broader view should be my next step. So, I set my sights on a bolder goal: pursuing the CEO position. I discussed my aspirations with my boss, the regional CEO of MMEA. He really backed me, explaining why yes, he did believe I would be a good fit for this kind of role. The HR department was also very supportive – and that set me on the path I’m on today.

Throughout my career, I’ve learned the importance of openly and clearly expressing your goals. This helps ensure that your career trajectory aligns with your personal ambitions and professional opportunities.

To be frank, when I started as CEO in February 2024 – despite my solid track record and understanding of the company – I couldn’t clearly see where I could make an impact. However, after nearly a month in the position, I began to see opportunities where I could truly drive positive change.

In the short term, I bring a mix of technical and people skills, which will help me to be very proactive quickly. I can look at the big picture and link topics together to advance progress. I have also been with Allianz Trade for a long time, so I have a large network. Knowing who to reach out to helps to solve problems quickly, which is especially useful in a period of transformation.

In the longer term, I know I need to implement a strategic framework that builds on the foundation set by the group and the great work already done by my predecessor. As a first step, I’m talking extensively with my team and clients to leverage their expertise and experience and hear their pain points.                                                   

I’ve also reached out to several successful CEOs I know to gather their valuable insights and am reading about what it takes to succeed in these kinds of positions. At the moment, I’m reading ‘The CEO Next Door:  The 4 Behaviors that Transform Ordinary People into World-Class Leaders’ by Elena L. Botelho, Kim R. Powell, and Tahl Raz. I am taking this as an opportunity to learn from other people’s experiences and adapt their strategies to my own leadership style.

In a new role, it’s so important to keep learning, and to listen to and tap into the strength of your team. As a great leader once told me, this will not only be a valuable source of information for you as a leader, but it will also make your team feel valued and appreciated. 

I was born in a country that, at the time, was biased towards men. I’m lucky that when I was growing up, my parents focused on equality in my family and were hugely supportive of my educational and professional choices.

That meant I didn’t feel limited because I didn’t see the clear bias towards men – and was surprised when I was affected by it as a young professional. I would ask my manager, “Why did he get this job opportunity and not me?” This naivety, shall we say, turned out to be a good thing – I think that if I had been exposed to these biases earlier, I wouldn’t have pushed myself in my career as much as I did. 

It’s okay to be yourself. As a woman in business, especially in finance, you are still likely to find yourself in the minority. And honestly, that requires some adaptation.

However, it’s important to remember that you can leverage your own personality and strengths in your career without fitting into the existing mold – and you can make an impact. Looking beyond gender to broader diversity issues, I recall a time when I was reluctant to speak up and felt somewhat reserved in certain situations because of my different views. Now I say, “I am what I am,” and I’ve noticed that people really appreciate diverse opinions. And I believe it’s really important that we support other women to embrace this mindset.

Finally, I can’t say it enough: if you want a job, or to change your role, you have to speak up. People can’t read your mind.