Profiling insurance pros under 40: Esequiel Nathal

When I knew risk management was the best career choice

I was a finance major in college at the University of North Texas, and also studying for a minor in risk management. Through the RIMS network, one of my professors connected me with a consulting firm that needed some help. I sent them my résumé and received an internship position. At the time, the vice president for Latin America on the risk consulting side needed some help. He was working on enterprise risk management projects in Latin America. I'm bilingual—I was born in El Paso, Texas, but I grew up in Juarez, Mexico. A few months into the internship, that vice president left the company, leaving me as the office's lone Spanish speaker. I had to figure out how to finalize those projects, which included working through the RIMS risk maturity model with a bank. I even was able to travel internationally as an intern, which included two trips down to Honduras. With that experience, I knew this was to be my career.

A day in the life

As a consultant, I work as a part of various risk management departments for other firms. I work with companies that don't have a risk manager as well as companies that do have a department, but need help with special projects. Every day I'm doing something different. One day I might work on a policy review, another day I might review contracts or loan agreements for banks. I travel some days and go to meetings with my clients' brokers and underwriters. I have worked on risk assessments for operations ranging from small hay or chicken farms to large container ships and warehouses.

School's in session:

It's challenging to have clients in so many different industries and locations. I read a lot during the day—catch up on the industries that my clients are in. I have to know current events, best practices, and who the main players are in each of those industries. And then I'm dealing with people who each run their risk management departments differently. As a consultant, I like the diversity of the work and organizations I deal with. It keeps my job interesting.

Student outreach matters

I received a lot of help from RIMS when I was a student, and that was a big reason—if not the biggest reason—why I considered working in this industry. In addition to support from the Dallas/Ft. Worth chapter, I was named a Spencer scholar as a student, and I attended the RIMS conference in Vancouver in 2011. That made such an impression on me. When I graduated college (in 2012) I joined the education committee for my local RIMS chapter, which I now chair. I'm trying to reciprocate the support I've received from this industry and since then, I've become a founding member and director of education and outreach of the Young Risk Professionals of Texas.

[Related: Profiling insurance pros under 40: Jo Erin Stuteville]