Willis Towers Watson is Nichelle's 'home away from home'

Senior Director, Nichelle Daulby, shares her inspiring 20-year career journey and how Willis Towers Watson’s inclusive culture and diverse colleagues have made the company a place that she can call ‘home away from home’.

Can you tell us about your 20-year career journey at Willis Towers Watson?

I joined Willis Towers Watson 20 years ago as an actuarial analyst graduate in London. Almost five years later, in 2006, I was relocated to our expanding office in Atlanta where I joined the Health & Benefits team. Here, I coupled the move to a new country with a change in specialty. This change of scenery, both on a professional and geographical level, led me to quickly realize the value and importance of my analytical and project management skills, as we had to work on a variety of projects with clients from across the globe. Over time, this meant that I ended up frequently stepping outside of the actuarial world and was exposed to other business functions which positively impacted my personal and professional life.

In 2015, a new position was created: associate client relationship director. This is when I decided to embrace the opportunity and venture into the client management world. Six years have passed since then and I am currently a senior director within this business area. Looking back, little did I know that Willis Towers Watson was the company where I would (literally) grow up in and call home almost 20 years later.

What does it mean to be a part of Willis Towers Watson’s Multicultural Inclusion Network (MCIN)?

The MCIN is an incredible colleague-led group that relentlessly works to highlight Willis Towers Watson’s diverse teams and talent. I’m originally from Trinidad and Tobago, so being part of a network that has introduced me to colleagues with similar Caribbean backgrounds has been one of the highlights of my career. I am very proud to be part of this group as it fosters comradery, connection and inclusion which in turn makes us feel comfortable in bringing our true and best selves to work.

Why do you think it is key to have diverse leaders within an organization?

Diversity has always been the status quo for me. Growing up in Trinidad & Tobago and having a diverse ethnic background myself, I’ve been able to witness how diversity in leadership brings diversity in thought and problem solving. This is particularly important for us as a company, as we’re always looking for new ways to innovate in order to provide the best solutions to our clients’ needs.

As a leader I’m always working towards supporting diverse talent and encouraging colleagues to advance their career. That’s why I am also part of the COBALT (Creating Opportunities for Black and LatinX Talent) program and a local co-leader of the Workplace Leadership Group whose mission is to create an inclusive work environment and enhance the overall colleague experience within the company.

How have the Willis Towers Watson culture and values help you adapt to working in different locations and business areas?

Over the past 20 years, I’ve been given the opportunity to work in two different countries and continents. This has enabled me to experience Willis Towers Watson’s unwavering commitment towards delivering excellent work and supporting colleagues’ growth.

When I first moved to the United States and joined the Health & Benefits function, I didn’t have a background in this area, much less in the North America region as I had only worked in Trinidad & Tobago and London before. However, I was incredibly motivated and inspired when my fellow colleagues, managers and leaders shared their knowledge and invested time in my development. This continues to encourage me to keep stepping out of my comfort zone in order to continue growing.

Willis Towers Watson has supported me throughout the various phases of my personal life to date: as a new hire, a newlywed and a new parent working part-time for a period and then returning to full-time. Seeing how the company and my colleagues flexed around my professional growth, ambitions and changing personal circumstances throughout the years, made me realize that this is more than just a company – it is a place where individuals are equipped to become the best, most authentic version of themselves.

What has been your greatest learning or piece of advice that you have received throughout your career journey at Willis Towers Watson?

There are two things that have stayed with me: the first is to ‘be authentic’ which for me is keeping things simple. I am a firm believer that if you can’t say it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. The second is to ‘embrace change’. Embrace the opportunities that present themselves even though you may think they are outside of your comfort zone.

What advice would you give to people (or colleagues), particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, looking to progress their career?

There is a place for you here. We have numerous and incredible Inclusion Networks such as the COBALT group, the Black Colleague Connection club, the Gender Equity Network, the Women’s Leadership Development Program or ‘Out@WTW’ (which is part of our LGBT+ Inclusion Network) that will help you feel comfortable in bringing your true to self to work.