Meet Paula, Zurich Cultural Awareness Network Chair

The Cultural Awareness Network ("CAN") which is Sponsored by UK General Counsel, Neil Hodges and chaired by Senior Legal Counsel, Paula Sofowora was launched in 2015.

It started out as an initiative to make Zurich's pipeline of apprentices, graduate recruits, interns and work placement's more diverse and inclusive. Today the network supports the UK D&I Vision, one of the six elements of Zurich's people vision and global purpose to be the best insurer for our customers, the best place to work for our employees and the best investment for our shareholders, from a multi cultural perspective.

Get to know Paula Sofowora, chair of CAN, in her own words…

 I joined Zurich as an employed barrister in 1997. I enjoy my role as Senior Legal Counsel because it is very varied and I never know what I will be doing from one day to the next.  I specialise in a wide range of insurance disputes, claims and underwriting matters including policy wordings and coverage disputes, complaints, building guarantee claims, HSE investigations arising out of statutory engineering inspections, data security and financial crime. I find my work to be both interesting and stimulating but by far, what I enjoy most about working for Zurich, is the opportunity to give back to the community.

I am a strong advocate for corporate social responsibility as well as diversity and inclusion. I am the Programme Coordinator for Zurich UK’s Pro Bono Legal programme supporting charities in partnership with Zurich Community Trust which I established in 2014. I was nominated for the Bar Pro Bono Award in 2015 and subsequently invited to join the Bar Pro Bono Board, and for the last 15 years have coordinated a reading scheme at Harry Gosling Primary school in Tower Hamlets. I am also an original member of the London committee of Zurich Cares and became chair of CAN after establishing the network in 2015.

I am the author of 6 books, enjoy cooking, performing educational workshops for children, travelling, climbing and hiking. I like a good challenge too and completed the NYC marathon, the 3 peaks, the Landmannalaugar Icelandic trek and abseiled the London Underwriting Centre to raise money for charity.

I am married and live in Essex with my husband and two sons.

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