Interview by Beata Socha

WBJ: Looking back, which moments most shaped your career?

Anna Włodarczyk-Moczkowska: My career has never been linear. I did not simply climb one rung after another. Instead, there were several breakthrough moments when I made a leap into something much bigger.

The first came in the late 1990s, when pension funds were being established in Poland. I was given responsibility for building a sales network for Skarbiec Emerytura. We had no retail structure, while our competitors had extensive distribution networks. By chance, I came across a ready-made team whose original business model had just collapsed. We moved quickly to bring them on board. That experience taught me the value of speed, instinct, and being ready when opportunity appears.

Another turning point came when, still before the age of thirty, I was offered the opportunity to build and lead an insurance company. It was a significant responsibility at a very young age. Later, after building a successful business, I made another difficult decision: I stepped out of my comfort zone and took on a restructuring challenge. In many ways, restructuring is more demanding than building from scratch.

Especially in restructuring projects and mergers, there have been more challenging moments – often driven by the emotions of colleagues – when your professional stance collides with ordinary human feelings. These have been some of the most important lessons in my business career.

How important were mentors along the way?

Very important, although I see mentoring in two distinct ways. First, there are those key individuals who appear at the right moment, believe in you, and simply say, “You can do this.” Sometimes that trust matters more than a perfect CV. My own career changed because certain people gave me opportunities before I met every formal criterion.

Second, there is mentoring in the more classical sense: having someone you can talk to about decisions, doubts, and difficult choices. Those conversations are invaluable – you cannot learn them from a book.

But mentoring only works if you are open, if you build relationships, and if you are willing to step into deep water when the opportunity arises.

Women are often described as more cautious in their careers. Do you agree?

Only to a certain extent, yes. Many women hesitate unless they feel fully ready, while men are often more willing to step forward before meeting every requirement.

That is why women supporting women is so important. Sometimes what someone needs is not another qualification, but simply more courage.

I often tell young women: you do not need to be perfect. You need to be good enough, determined, and willing to grow. I also encourage them to invest early in areas that open strategic pathways in business – mathematics, analytical thinking, technical skills and finance.

I do not believe in “glass ceilings” but I believe in “glass corridors.” At an early stage, people step into specific development paths. If you want to move vertically into top leadership, you need to consciously choose the corridors that lead there.

You were also active in the Polish-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Did that broaden your perspective on women in leadership?

Absolutely. I spent eight years with the chamber and, in the final period, served as its president – the first woman in that role in Poland and one of only two globally at the time. It was a fascinating experience.

It also showed me that the underrepresentation of women in top leadership positions is not just a Polish phenomenon. In many Western countries, women at the highest levels are still quite isolated. Progress is being made, but at different speeds, depending on culture, history, and social norms.

Women represent half of society, half of its experience, wisdom, and potential. It makes no sense not to fully utilize that. At the same time, I am cautious about purely regulatory solutions. Real change starts at the top: in ownership structures, supervisory boards, and the way leadership decisions are made.

How is the insurance industry evolving in response to emerging risks?

Insurance is a long-term and relatively conservative business, but the risk environment is changing rapidly. Climate risk, cyber risk, geopolitical instability, and economic volatility are reshaping what we insure and how we assess exposure.

The pandemic was a powerful lesson. It showed how quickly the industry can adapt when necessary. Things that once seemed impossible suddenly became reality: remote processes, faster regulatory dialogue, and accelerated decision-making.

What will insurance look like in 10–15 years?

We are constantly facing new types of risk. Even developments such as drones or cyberattacks create entirely new questions that insurers must be prepared to answer.

Over the next decade, one of the industry’s biggest challenges will be keeping pace with emerging risks while maintaining financial discipline and operational resilience.

The most significant transformation will come from the combination of new risks, new technologies, and generational change. Artificial intelligence will fundamentally reshape how we operate. 

ABOUT:

Anna Włodarczyk–Moczkowska, President of Compensa TU S.A. Vienna Insurance Group. A senior executive with more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. She began her leadership career at the Ergo Hestia Group, where she served as Vice President of the Management Board at MTU. She then spent a decade leading the insurer Wiener, including during its operations under the PTU and Gothaer brands. Since 2022, she has been at the helm of Compensa, successfully steering the company through its merger with Wiener. She also chairs the Audit Committee of the Polish Insurance Association and previously served as President of the Polish-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce. In 2025, she was named “Businesswoman of the Year” by the economic daily Puls Biznesu.