Gloria Watson is the Chief Operating Officer at Partners Risk Strategies, a risk consulting and insurance brokerage firm with offices in Charlotte, NC, Atlanta, GA and Sarasota, FL. In her role as COO, Gloria is responsible for directing the firm’s sales and operations processes. She collaborates with the CEO in setting and leading the organization’s vision and strategy while driving profitable growth. Gloria is also the Senior Executive responsible for leading product innovation and unparalleled service delivery to our valued partners and clients.

Gloria is a Senior Executive with more than 30 years of experience orchestrating business strategies for risk management across multiple products, industries, and distribution sources. Prior to becoming COO of Partners Risk Strategies, Gloria enjoyed a tenure of 25+ years at American International Group (“AIG”), a multinational finance and insurance corporation where she most recently served as Senior Vice President of Client Solutions in New York. In that role, she focused on building an underwriting and distribution platform for broader access to AIG’s expansive risk solutions and product offerings, tailored to the unique insurance and financial needs of emerging businesses.

Prior to her Senior Vice President appointment, Gloria was the North America Head of Specialty for AIG General Insurance which included Aerospace, Marine, Energy, Trade Credit and Surety. She also served as Head of Aerospace for North America and held other key positions at the firm in technical underwriting, distribution, and field management. Earlier in her career, Gloria led underwriting, profitability, and portfolio management across several businesses, including Risk Management, Workers Compensation, Excess Casualty and Excess Energy.

Gloria is a graduate and former Dean of AIG‘s Women’s Executive Leadership Initiative program, she was the first Black professional to hold Managing Director and Zonal President roles for AIG Commercial Insurance. Gloria has the distinction of being featured in Savoy Magazine as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America. She is often called upon to speak as an insurance and risk industry expert across the globe.

Gloria was a member of AIG‘s Retirement Board, and AIG’s Executive Diversity Council. She also served on the Board of Governors for the Academy of Risk Management and Insurance at St. Joseph’s University. Gloria is a past Board Member of the Walnut Street Theater, The Freedom Valley YMCA, and a former Chair of the Tampa Bay American Heart Association Go Red for Women Campaign.

Gloria is a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and alumna of Howard University.