I'm Frances Yang, Vice President and Chief Underwriter in the HSBC Insurance Taiwan office. I started my career as a registered nurse! That lasted for two years, then I got the chance to step into the insurance industry more than 15 years ago, purely out of coincidence.

Before joining HSBC Insurance, I had already heard a lot of success stories about the Company in the global marketplace. When I joined in April 2007, the Company was preparing for the opening of its Taiwan Office. This was a unique experience and I really enjoyed working with a highly motivated team towards a clearly defined objective. I feel very lucky that I was here to experience that exciting period.

As Chief Underwriter, I'm responsible for underwriting strategy and operation support for new business development. My other responsibility includes managing a motivated and committed underwriting team to meet the always-aggressive schedule of new product launches and other initiatives.

Underwriting itself is a decision making process. As many people put it, underwriting is an art. There is no absolute right or wrong answer, and it takes many years of practical experience to become a mature underwriter. Just like running a marathon, which happens to be one of my favourite sports, it takes days and years of practice before you can really complete one. This is the main reason I'm so proud to be an underwriter.

My current job constantly requires me to stretch the limit to find creative solutions for both daily operations and new business development. This, together with the broad scope of responsibility, makes my work challenging and yet very interesting.

For one to be successful at HSBC Insurance, you need much more than technical insurance know-how: communication and other interpersonal skills are a must, because this job is all about team work. For those who are considering joining HSBC Insurance, even if you don't already have those skills, working here will push you to gain them. So come and join us!