EP 6 - Pushing, Pausing & Progressing: Lize-Mari Barnes on Knowing When to Do Each

In Episode 6 of The Gender Finance Podcast, we speak with Lize-Mari Barnes, CEO Luxembourg and Global CFO P&C Reinsurance at Swiss Re, and Global Women at Swiss Re Lead.

Lize-Mari reflects on navigating career acceleration alongside major life transitions, and what organisations can do to better support progression across different life stages.

She discusses balancing ambition with self-care, managing the invisible load, and knowing when to push or pause. She also explains how her "spiderweb network" has supported her growth and leadership, and what effective sponsorship looks like in practice for both women and men. The conversation closes on lessons in inclusive leadership drawn from working across cultures, and what often gets overlooked.

It's a candid look at what sustainable career progression takes at senior levels in financial services.