RGA Leaders of Tomorrow Spotlight: Gaston Nossiter, fiaa cfa, Senior Vice President, Global Financial Solutions, RGA
What did being named an RGA Leader of Tomorrow mean to you?
In addition to being a pleasant surprise, it was a recognition of where I am in my career and what I’ve achieved so far. It was gratifying to be chosen by RGA’s senior leaders, including our CEO Anna Manning. My selection for the program was also an acknowledgement of what my team and I have accomplished in the Asia region, and it reinforces that our work is viewed favorably throughout the entire RGA global organization.
How did participating in the LOT program contribute to your career development?
The main benefit I got from the program was taking time out of my busy schedule and using it as an opportunity to reflect on my career and on my personal growth. I was able to look back on how I’ve handled different challenges and changed course as obstacles arose, and on the relationships I have built along the way. This period of reflection was valuable because it allowed me to see how I can take the lessons from the past and apply them to advancing from here.
What’s the most important thing you learned from your LOT mentor?
My mentor, Milliman chairman Ken Mungan, and I compared stories about how important persistence and resilience are to building a business and establishing something new in the market. While our respective disciplines are different, our approaches to achieving results are similar: believe in your product, go out and meet with clients, and try out new ideas. Execution is key, especially if you’re the only one or the first one to offer a certain product to the market. We also talked about the importance of being yourself and playing to your natural strengths.
How can the industry and/or companies better foster the career development of young professionals?
What I appreciate about programs like the RGA Leaders of Tomorrow is that they’re about more than connecting with a senior mentor – you’re also extending your network outside of your own organization. A career is not a solo effort, and to develop it you need relationships with a peer group that will grow along with you. It’s a powerful aspect of career development. I now have connections with other RGA Leaders of Tomorrow mentees from around the globe and we have a shared experience to build on.
It’s also critical to engage in continuous learning throughout your career, not just when you’re a young professional. Doing so allows you to stretch yourself beyond your current role, and you’re energized by new ideas and new possibilities.