Profile
“We keep evolving the brand as we grow and expand, which is equally rewarding and satisfying”
Alice Phillips Topping
Ryan Specialty
Tracey Ezard is a speaker and educator known for her “ferocious warmth” leadership approach and her innovative work in fostering professional collaborative cultures. She empowers leaders and leadership teams with the skills to navigate the complexities of education.
Her collaborative framework, The Buzz, fosters an environment of learning, trust and innovation and is implemented in educational systems across Australia, Asia, New Zealand and the UK. Ezard’s mission is to help leaders access both their cognitive and emotional skills, blending head and heart to ensure they and their teams thrive.
With over 17 years of experience, Ezard has designed and delivered leadership and cultural programs across all education sectors in Australia and New Zealand. She works at multiple levels, from individual schools to system-wide initiatives, guiding them in creating thriving professional cultures and Ferocious Warmth leadership. Her Buzz diagnostic has engaged over 15,000 educators and 550 schools.
Author of three books, Ezard’s works include Ferocious Warmth - School Leaders Who Inspire and Transform, Glue - The Stuff that Binds Us Together to do Extraordinary Work and The Buzz – Creating a Thriving and Collaborative Staff Learning Culture.
Honoured with the 2022 ACEL Vic Hedley Beare Educator of the Year award and a National Fellow of the Australian Council of Education Leaders (FACEL), Ezard is also a well-known speaker, having received the Professional Speakers Association Breakthrough Speaker of the Year Award in 2023. She chairs the board of The Corner Store Network, a social enterprise dedicated to eradicating food poverty in Timor-Leste and Australia.
PO Box 484 Canterbury, Vic 3126
0417 317 563
tracey@traceyezard.com
linkedin.com/in/traceyezard
traceyezard.com
Tracey Ezard
Director
Tracey Ezard
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Milestones
“It’s very important to set an example and to not only inspire but mentor other females”
Alice Phillips Topping
Ryan Specialty
1987–2002
2002–2005
2022
2023
Present
1987–2002: Primary Teacher, Leading Teacher and Assistant Principal at DETVic
1998–1999: Teacher Release to Industry Program – Project Manager Automotive Training Australia (National Training Board for the Automotive Industry)
1987–
2002
Business Manager at Ezard Restaurant
2002–
2005
ACEL Vic Hedley Beare Educator of the Year/National Fellow of the Australian Council of Education Leaders (FACEL)
2022
Breakthrough Speaker of the Year, Professional Speakers Australia
2023
Director, Speaker, Author and Educator at Tracey Ezard since 2022
Present
Assistant Vice President and Senior Broker at MJ Hall & Company since 2018
Present
Milestones
• Gold award for Magazine or Newspaper Advertisement
• Silver award for Promotional Email
• Silver award for Most Out-of-the-Box Idea
As a founding member of WOW! (Women. Opportunity. Winning.), an employee resource group created for all women of Ryan Specialty, Phillips Topping has long championed for women in the industry.
“It’s very important to set an example and to not only inspire but mentor other females,” she adds.
In addition to her sharp marketing eye, the key to Phillips Topping’s success lies in her high-energy approach and positive attitude.
“As the leader of a team, it’s important to motivate and encourage your team members. People work very hard and do their best and it’s important to recognize these efforts. For my career overall, my attitude has been one of curiosity. The more you can learn, the better you’ll understand the business, and then the deeper your knowledge will become, making you a better team member.”
Chief underwriting officer of executive risk at Chubb
President of financial insurance solutions at Kemper
Chief underwriting officer at Axis Capital
CEO of global Insurance at Endurance
CEO of global Insurance at Sompo International
“We keep evolving the brand as we grow and expand, which is equally rewarding and satisfying,” adds Phillips Topping.
“Marketing is a very busy space. The challenge is to keep it fresh and keep it new. There’s so much out there. You have to think about how to break through.”
Since joining the firm in 2015, Ryan Specialty has:
• completed 28 acquisitions
• launched 10 companies
“With each acquisition and de novo formation, a large branding component is involved,” says Phillips Topping.
Speaking on the importance of spotlighting marketing professionals, Phillips Topping says, “It’s imperative to shine a light on those who aren’t necessarily brokers or underwriters. There are so many different aspects of the industry. It’s nice to show all the great work that’s being done behind the scenes.”
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