For the First Time in 325 Years, a Woman Is Running Lloyd's of London

An exciting moment for a boring industry: The Guardian reports that in January, Inga Beale will take over as CEO of Lloyd’s of London. That marks the first time in the insurance market’s 325-year history a woman has run the show.

Back in June, Beale had this to say about the paucity of women on company boards:

“I think the business is run differently if you have women around the decision-making table and that’s why it’s good to have diversity, not just on the gender side. Different people approach things differently and provide alternative views – diverse boards help companies make better decisions, which affect the bottom line,” said Beale.

“Until we get more women around the decision-making table women are unlikely to get enough encouragement to really aspire to reach senior positions in the industry,” she added.

“Lloyds is actually a group of about 80 competing insurance syndicates that traces its origins back to a 17th-century London coffee house where merchants insured ships,” the Guardian explains. It’ll insure just about anything, from Betty Grable’s legs to Bruce Springsteen’s voice.