Business Made Personal
We speak to Insurance industry icons who have been there, done that and seen the movie to find out what worked for them and what challenges they faced. It’s a must-listen for anyone interested in learning from the best and seeking to enhance their careers.
Business Made Personal
Ep: 128 - Allicia Tsolis on authentic leadership in insurance and customer advocacy
"I don't think you can have real, sustained success, especially in leadership, without having some sort of sacrifice."
Allicia Tsolis's genuine leadership in insurance takes centre stage in this episode of Business Made Personal. As the Executive General Manager of Workers’ Compensation at Suncorp, Allicia shares how a tough childhood in South Australia and her Greek heritage shaped her grit, empathy, and people-first leadership approach. She explains how early hardships fostered resilience, why authenticity surpasses conformity, and how prioritising the customer in every decision leads to sustainable results.
With over 26 years of experience at AAMI and Suncorp, Allicia has gained expertise across the entire value chain—sales, service, claims, transformation, and strategy—enabling her to lead with insight and practicality. She reflects on working in male-dominated environments, the mentors who supported her, and the moment she stopped trying to emulate “hard-edged” leadership to lead authentically as herself.
You’ll hear the inside story of building a newly privatised scheme from scratch, earning recognition as CSIA’s Service Hero Customer Service Executive of the Year and later being named one of Insurance Business Australia’s Elite Women. Allicia is open about personal trade-offs, motherhood, and learning to trust and delegate without compromising standards.
Takeaways:
• Practical ways to lead authentically while delivering results
• How to build credibility: “trust is built in drops, lost in buckets”
• Designing services with human-centred, customer-first thinking
• Lifting as you climb: mentoring the next generation of leaders
Business Made Personal is hosted by Mark Silveira, exploring the real journeys of leaders in insurance, business, and beyond.
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