Annette Houtekamer on her Journey as Co-Founder and her Vision for Climate Resilience in Insurance
Welcome back to our “Behind the Scenes at IBISA” blog series, where we reveal who keeps things running smoothly at IBISA.
Today, we’re in the spotlight with Annette Houtekamer, one of the Co-Founders of IBISA.
Annette, along with Maria and Jean Baptiste, embarked on the IBISA journey with the shared passion to improve access to weather risk insurance for smallholder farmers. With her extensive network in the (re)insurance and microinsurance sectors, Annette played a pivotal role in shaping IBISA’s first products and getting them ready for testing with customers in India.
Today, Annette is the face of IBISA in important organizations like ICMIF, MIN, ISF, InsuResilience Global Shield, and many others. She actively seeks to form strong partnerships with customers through these organizations, advocating for the role of IBISA in enhancing communities’ climate resilience.
When asked about her motivations to join IBISA, Annette said: “In the face of persistent challenges, I wished to be a part of the solution. My vision was to create solutions that were not just technologically advanced, but also transparent, accessible, and effective in bridging the gap present in the industry.”
Looking at the current insurance market, Annette pointed out the problems, particularly the traditional insurance’s failure to reach small farmers due to high costs and operational complexity. Annette also highlighted the need to address the unique risks faced by women – the often-unsung heroes contributing significantly towards economic growth in numerous ways.
She mentioned that IBISA’s satellite technology has totally changed how cooperatives, agricultural financial providers, and other players recover from the effects of extreme weather events and support smallholder farmers and vendors to sustain and flourish.
Highlighting the role of IBISA in various global organizations, she said: “Partnerships are core for IBISA. It is only through diligent collaboration with other stakeholders that we are able to implement our innovative solutions.”
Speaking of her journey at IBISA, Annette also shared her experiences working with such a dynamic team at IBISA and proudly shared how she imparted her vast knowledge of insurance and reinsurance to the young and dynamic team through the IBISAcademy. These weekly training sessions, prepared and hosted by each team member on a rotational basis, help in fostering a culture of continuous learning and shared knowledge within IBISA and resonate with the team’s vision for inclusive growth.
Outside her work, Annette is a singer as part of a women’s choir and enjoys gardening and walks in nature, providing a refreshing balance to her professional responsibilities.
Keep an eye on our blog series for further insights from the team shaping IBISA today.
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