Agueda began her career as a television news reporter for El Salvador’s most prestigious news organization. She transitioned her career to insurance sales and specialized in life insurance. After extensive studies to learn all insurance lines, Agueda founded Be Safe Asesores SA de CV. Her company grew rapidly, and its reputation began attracting notable clients.
Trying new things and reaching her goals daily are hallmarks of Agueda’s personality. She started a foundation to help single mothers start their own businesses and provide scholarships for children. In her free time, she enjoys reading, exercising, and traveling, but her favorite times are spent with her children and husband.
She holds a degree in business administration from Preston University.
Jeff has worked in employee benefits for 25 years. He specializes in setting up benefit plans for multinational clients expanding into Ireland across a broad spectrum of industry sectors, including tech, asset management, pharma, and professional services in particular. Jeff takes a holistic and consultative approach with his clients and always listens first to better understand their business and the people issues that might be involved.
In a previous life, Jeff studied geology at St. Andrews University in Scotland and Trinity College Dublin. He hopes his knowledge of limestones will help him find the perfect ‘terroir’ for his retirement vineyard.
Philip has 31 years of life, medical insurance, and employee benefits experience. He joined Howden Insurance Brokers Philippines as Deputy CEO and Head of Employee Benefits in April 2023 and also assumed the role of Practice Leader for Howden Employee Benefits Asia. His experience extends to the life, non-life, and HMO industries. With extensive experience in group insurance, agency development, training, and sales development in both life and HMO markets, he’s worked with the top life and HMO companies in the Philippines, both local and multinational. Philip is the former Vice President for Sales for PhilCare, the HMO arm of the American International Group (AIG) and United Health Care (UHC). He founded iSolve Employee Benefits Consultants in 2006 and served as its President and Managing Director until the company’s acquisition by JLT in 2015.
Andrea speaks fluent English and graduated from Santa Maria La Antigua University of Panama, where she obtained a law degree. She is also a graduate of the School of Foreign Service in Washington, DC, where she earned her Bachelor of Foreign Relations degree with an emphasis in Economic Development. Andrea has been with Kam Seguros for 10 years as its Employee Benefits Director.
Weigo is a fun, outgoing person who loves his job and the clients and colleagues he works with. He is committed to maintaining the high-quality services WISE promises clients and constantly works on long-term sustainable solutions for them. To achieve that, Weigo understands employees are the key, and he likes to create a work environment that makes employees feel at home.
He has over 15 years of experience in the China/Taiwan insurance industry, working with numerous Fortune 500 companies and setting up one of the local market’s largest and most comprehensive flexible benefits programs. In addition to the consulting Weigo did for large multinational companies, he also developed exclusive facility plans with first-tier insurers that provide comprehensive coverage at below-market rates for small to medium size enterprises. His success in all facets of his role at WISE is primarily due to his dedication to his clients, his ability to be flexible, his strong commitment to education and communication, and the strength of knowledge obtained through his broker and consulting career.
Martin has over 20 years of experience in the insurance marketplace and currently serves as Practice Director for UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors (UOB KHWA). He has a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry and is skilled in designing employee benefits programs for employers of all sizes. Before joining UOB KHWA he held executive roles at a local insurance broker and a multinational insurance company. He holds LOMA, CFP, RFP, and AMII certifications.
Carlos is fluent in English and Spanish (a native speaker) and graduated from the Bradford Management Center in England. With 13 years of experience leading Confia, Carlos has specialized in employee benefits. Before joining Confia, Carlos was a private and investment manager for financial institutions. Carlos enjoys swimming, running, hiking, and spending time at the beach in his free time. He also cherishes spending time with his wife and two dogs while his daughter pursues studies at Trinity University.
Warren Stephens is the Managing Director of Employee Benefits for Centastone. He joined the financial services industry in 1995 and is a Foundation member of Financial Advice New Zealand and is accredited with the ‘Trusted Adviser’ mark. Warren held the AFA status (Authorize Financial Adviser) under the former regulatory framework and achieved life membership of the MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table) in 2018.
He set up Centastone Ltd after leaving his role in the Argent/Lifetime Group in March 2016 where he was the CEO. During his tenure, the group grew from $1.5M in 1999 to $18M by the end of 2015.
Outside of work, Warren enjoys spending time with his family, playing squash, golf, tennis, and many water sports. He can occasionally be spotted playing an odd game of poker.
Marianne is an experienced employee benefits specialist with a comprehensive knowledge of EB insurance industry principles and practices and superior knowledge of EB insurance products and services. Before joining Howden, she held leadership positions with insurance carriers in underwriting large and complex employee benefits and auto fleet insurance.
When she is not working, Marianne enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing golf and tennis, and traveling to her cabin in the mountains or visiting new countries worldwide.
Helén is fluent in English, French, Swedish, and Finnish and graduated 22 years ago from the Business School of Economics in Sweden. She has been with Söderberg & Partners for 7 years as a Global Practice Lead and has specialized in employee benefits consulting for 22 years. Before joining Söderberg & Partners, Helen worked as a Senior Underwriter for commercial lines at AIG in London and as a Health and Benefits consultant for AON. She’s also worked at domestic insurance companies underwriting commercial lines and pensions.
As a triathlonist, Helén spends her free time running, outdoor biking, and swimming. She also enjoys being with her two children and hiking in the wild north of Lapland.
