Profile: Cecile Fresneau, executive director, UK insurance division, at QBE Insurance

Meeting the market: After her first few months at QBE Insurance, Cecile Fresneau is keen to build on the provider’s strong regional presence and bring a fresh pair of eyes to the insurer

Hailing from Alsace in France, Cecile Fresneau has had a somewhat circuitous route into the UK insurance market. In fact it started almost as far away as you can get, in Sydney.

“My first career lasted about four years and was in product management and marketing for luxury goods company LVMH [Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton],” she says.

While there was plenty that was “glamourous and over the top” and fun, ultimately she decided against dedicating the rest of her life to working on handbags and