RISING WOMAN 2025: Growth mind-set, faith and resilience: Aurelia Kimaryo’s path to corporate leadership

For a woman to succeed in the corporate world, she must adopt a growth mindset, embrace continuous learning, and break barriers with confidence.

This is the view of ICEA LION General Insurance’s chief Operating Officer (COO), Aurelia Kimaryo, whose rise to the top reflects hard work, resilience and determination..

In a corporate environment still dominated by men, Aurelia stands as a powerful advocate for women’s empowerment—not by merely filling quotas, but by ensuring women earn their place at the table through competence and determination.

“For me, accelerating a woman’s impact means there need to be done for a woman for her to reach a full potential, It’s really should not be look like somebody just being given opportunity because it’s a woman, but it’s more than that,” she says.

Aurelia attributes her success to God, acknowledging that faith has played a crucial role in her journey.

However, it is her passion and relentless pursuit of excellence that have propelled her forward.

 “I’ve been really striving when it comes to work, I’ve been really working so hard and I’ve been having positive work, positive mind set,” she explains.

 She further adds “what I’ve been driving me, it’s actually passionate of what I’m doing, it really helped me,”To her, leadership is not just about titles—it is about empowering others, building strong teams, and driving meaningful change.

Throughout her career, she has been fortunate to have mentors who trusted her potential and gave her opportunities to grow.

 Now, she strives to do the same for young women, pushing them beyond their comfort zones.

Being a woman in leadership comes with unique challenges.

 Balancing professional responsibilities with motherhood and other societal expectations is not easy, but Aurelia has learned to navigate these complexities with grace.

“So I’ve been overcoming some of those barriers through communication and making sure everybody understand what they’re supposed to do, barriers are there but it’s just how to navigate through them and making sure that you are actually get it right,” she asserts.

 At ICEA LION, the company has made significant strides in gender inclusion, boasting a high number of women in leadership positions.

However, Aurelia urges other organizations to follow suit by providing mentorship, coaching, and growth opportunities for women.

For women looking to climb the corporate ladder, Aurelia insists that the key lies in a learning mind set.

 “I would request them to have this learning growth mind set, whereby they’ll be able to learn more, they shouldn’t just be sited and say, I know because I’m a woman, I can’t do this but as long as we are in this space, we are on the environment of corporate world, they definitely need to have that learning mind set, equip themselves with their right knowledge, that required for the risk that is actually ahead of them to strive,” she advises.

 She says that success is not about comparing oneself to men but about striving to reach one’s full potential and executing responsibilities with excellence.

“It is about believing in oneself and the potential that God has placed in their heart. One must stay true to their values, as everyone has their own,” she says.

“As long as they uphold their values—integrity, trustworthiness, and commitment—nothing can stand in their way,” she adds.

“They should hold on their values, understand what they wants, have a clear path, road map to where they want to reach but critical they need to collaborate with others,” she shares.

While Aurelia is passionate about empowering women, she also believes that the boy child should not be left behind.

 At the heart of Aurelia’s leadership philosophy is the desire to inspire and uplift others.

It all starts with self-belief, preparation, and the willingness to take on challenges head-on.

Supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation