Sheila Wristberg is leading growth in Ghana’s insurance industry through her focus on leadership, sustainability, and gender inclusion.
The insurance sector in Ghana has undergone steady changes recently, with an increased focus on sustainability, digital adoption, and customer-centred services. At the forefront of these developments is Sheila Wristberg, CEO of iRisk Management Limited, recognised as one of the sector’s emerging leaders.
Wristberg’s educational background is in business and finance. She holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Ghana. She is professionally certified by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA-UK) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana.
Her career started at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where she worked as an auditor. This role provided her with insights into financial governance and corporate structures, which later became valuable in insurance and risk management. After PwC, she transitioned into tax consultancy and reporting, gaining experience in corporate strategy and compliance. This progression laid the groundwork for her eventual move into insurance, which she pursued to enhance service delivery and redefine risk advisory in Ghana.
iRisk Management Limited
iRisk Management Limited is an independent brokerage offering a wide range of insurance products, including general, health, and life insurance. It also positions itself as a risk consultancy, advising corporate clients on best practices for managing financial and operational risks.
Since her appointment in 2017, Wristberg has helped iRisk steadily improve its standing in the industry. It is now among the top five insurance brokers in Ghana by revenue, a significant achievement amid rising competition.
In 2024, the company ranked 45th overall in the Ghana Club 100 Awards, a respected annual ranking of the country’s top businesses, and third among insurance firms. This recognition was driven by its performance, client growth, and strategic operational initiatives.
Another milestone was reached in 2022 when iRisk became the first Ghanaian brokerage to endorse the Nairobi Declaration on Sustainable Insurance. This showed a clear commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles—an area growing in importance within global financial services.
Industry roles and recognition
Outside her responsibilities at iRisk, Sheila Wristberg has been active in professional associations. She serves as Vice-Treasurer of the Insurance Brokers Association of Ghana (IBAG), where she is involved in policy discussions, digitisation, and the financial sustainability of brokerages. She also chairs the Supervisory Committee of the Ghana Insurance Industry Cooperative Credit Union and has participated in events such as the World Conference on Inclusive Insurance, organised by the Munich Re Foundation.
Her efforts have gained recognition nationally and continentally. In 2022, she was named Young Insurance Professional of the Year by the Chartered Insurance Institute of Ghana. She was also included in Africa’s Top 50 Women in Management, and the Angaza Forum ranked her the second most influential woman in African banking, finance, and investment.
Advocating for women in insurance
Aside from her corporate roles, Wristberg founded Women Leadership in Insurance Africa (WLIAfrica), a network aimed at improving the representation of women in senior roles within insurance and risk management.
The group offers mentoring, professional development, and knowledge-sharing platforms. By connecting women across Africa and the diaspora, WLIAfrica fosters collaboration and advocates for gender equality in the workplace. According to the founder, the initiative underscores her belief that diversity leads to better business outcomes and fairness.
“To effectively overcome the barriers to female leadership, businesses, regulatory bodies, government, and society must collaborate,” she states on her blog.
As Ghana’s insurance sector continues to evolve through digital, regulatory, and other changes, leaders like Sheila Wristberg play a key role in shaping its future.
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