Leaving a world she knew for one she had to learn afresh became one of Thanuja Danwatte’s most defining leadership choices. After 26 years in banking and 3 years in wealth management and financial advisory, she stepped into insurance and reinsurance broking, embracing uncertainty with resilience cultivated through motherhood, education and career.
Today, as Chief Executive Officer of Imperial Specialty Insurance Brokers (Private) Limited, she brings together financial discipline, empathy and a deep belief in relationships built on honesty and trust.
Her many crowns include daughter, sister, friend, wife, mother and CEO, yet she identifies motherhood as the role that most sharpened her patience, perspective and capacity to care for others.
That human-centred outlook now informs how she leads people, serves clients and approaches a rapidly changing risk landscape. Her story reveals why courage, gratitude and continuous learning remain central to every new chapter she chooses boldly to write next.
Q: The theme of this edition is “Her Many Crowns”. As a CEO, professional and woman carrying multiple responsibilities, what are the different “crowns” you wear, and how have they shaped the leader you are today?
I have worn many crowns throughout my life — daughter, sister, friend, wife and, most importantly, mother. Today, professionally, I also wear the crown of CEO. If I were to choose the crown that has shaped me most, however, it would undoubtedly be motherhood.
Motherhood taught me empathy, patience, unconditional love and the importance of caring for others. It taught me that everyone has their own challenges and you should give your 100% support, guide and have trust that they will choose the right path.
It also taught me how to hold on through the tough times and gave me the ability to manage many responsibilities at the same time.
Sometimes leadership is simply about listening, understanding and being there for someone.
Being a mother while pursuing my education and career was not always easy, but it gave me a different perspective on life.
You learn to prioritise, make decisions, keep moving forward and celebrate the achievements of others as much as your own.
Those experiences have shaped the way I lead today. I want the people around me to feel valued, supported and trusted. For me, leadership is not only about achieving business objectives; it is also about the people you take with you on that journey.
I have also been fortunate to have supportive staff and mentors who guide me, share their experience and challenge me to keep learning. Their support has reminded me that good leadership is never a one-person journey.
Q: Insurance and reinsurance are fundamentally built on trust, judgement and the ability to manage uncertainty. How has your leadership approach helped Imperial Specialty Insurance Brokers strengthen client confidence and navigate an increasingly complex risk environment?
For me, honesty, transparency and doing the right thing have always been fundamental values. I have carried these principles throughout my professional life and tried to pass them on to everyone at ISIB.
People who work with you observe how you conduct yourself. A leader’s values eventually become part of the culture of the organisation. If you are truthful and transparent in your dealings, people know they can rely on you, particularly when situations become difficult.
This approach has helped us build strong relationships with our clients, local insurance companies and brokers, as well as international brokers and reinsurers with whom we work directly. In our business, relationships and trust are the key to growth.
We have built these relationships over a relatively short period, and I am proud of how far the company has come in four years. Our growth has not been built simply on transactions, but on the confidence our stakeholders have in us to understand their requirements, find solutions and stand by them.
Q: Leading in a specialised and traditionally male-dominated financial services sector can present unique challenges. What experiences have tested your resilience most, and what have they taught you about leadership?
Interestingly, I have never personally felt that I was working in a male-dominated industry.
I grew up with three brothers, and my father encouraged me to be confident, participate in sports and believe that I could achieve whatever I set my mind to. That upbringing gave me a strong sense that being a woman should never be a limitation.
My career has also been shaped by my willingness to take opportunities. I started my career with Commercial Bank, and when an opportunity came to join NDB Bank, I asked my first boss at Commercial Bank for his advice. He simply told me, “Take it. Opportunities don’t come all the time.” I took his advice, and I am very glad I did.
After 26 years in banking, another opportunity came to move into the insurance and reinsurance industry. It meant leaving an environment I knew extremely well and entering a completely new and specialised field. I decided to take that opportunity too.
Those decisions taught me a great deal about perseverance. Starting something new means being willing to learn again, to build new relationships and to establish your credibility. It requires courage, humility and confidence. For me, resilience is not about never experiencing doubts or difficulties. It is about continuing to move forward, learning from every experience and being willing to embrace opportunities when they come.
I am also very happy to see more women moving into senior positions across financial services. We should continue creating opportunities for women to come forward and take their place at the table.
Q: As technology, emerging risks and changing customer expectations reshape the insurance industry, where do you see the greatest opportunities for innovation and growth, both for Imperial Specialty Insurance Brokers and the wider sector?
I believe digitalisation will be one of the biggest drivers of change in insurance. The younger generation is increasingly technology-driven. People are accustomed to using their phones and apps to access services quickly and conveniently, and insurance cannot remain outside that transformation.
We need to make insurance simpler, faster and more accessible. Technology can streamline the customer journey, improve policy distribution and provide more convenient digital platforms.
At Imperial Specialty Insurance Brokers, I see opportunities particularly in InsurTech, digital distribution, cyber insurance and innovative products such as parametric solutions. The nature of risk itself is changing, with businesses facing cyber threats, climate-related risks and other emerging exposures that require new approaches.
The opportunity is therefore not simply to digitise existing processes. It is to think differently about how insurance products are designed, distributed and delivered, while retaining the human judgement and trust that remain at the heart of our industry.
Q: Success often requires women to balance professional ambition with many other dimensions of life. What principles have helped you manage these competing responsibilities, and what advice would you give young women aspiring to senior leadership?
I was fortunate to have a strong support system around me. My mother, brothers and friends encouraged me throughout my career. My mother, in particular, played a very important role. When I was studying for my degree and later my master’s, she looked after my son while I attended classes, particularly at weekends. Knowing that I had people supporting me made a tremendous difference.
I have always tried to approach my work with the same principles: be honest, love what you do, give your best and do not dwell on the challenges along the way.
My years in banking were demanding, but I tried never to approach my work with a sense of complaint. If a client came to me with a problem or requirement, I tried to help wholeheartedly and, whenever possible, go the extra mile. Looking back, I realise that this way of working has given me something far more valuable than professional experience—it has helped me build lasting relationships and earn the trust of people, which continues to benefit me in my career today.
To young women aspiring to senior leadership, I would say: be honest in everything you do. Believe in yourself and do not be afraid to take opportunities. When you reach a position of influence, remember to create opportunities for another woman to come through.
We should not simply compete for the most senior positions; we should also open doors for the women who come after us.
Most importantly, be grateful — for the people who supported you, for the opportunities you received in life and even for the difficult experiences, because every experience shapes who you become.
Surround yourself with positive people who encourage you, believe in you and allow you to be yourself. Above all, love what you do. When you genuinely care about your work and the people you serve, success becomes a journey rather than simply a destination.
