Claire Burns (SOM ’96) Colloquium on Marketing Leadership
The Yale Center for Customer Insights was honored to welcome Claire Burns (SOM ’96), Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at The Hartford, as the first speaker in this semester’s Colloquium on Marketing Leadership.
The Yale Center for Customer Insights was honored to welcome Claire Burns (SOM ’96), Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at The Hartford, as the first speaker in this semester’s Colloquium on Marketing Leadership. A self-described “insurance expert, innovator, and customer-obsessed marketer,” Claire shared reflections on her global career journey and the lessons she’s learned navigating change along the way.
Lessons in Career Evolution
Reflecting on her path from Connecticut to Tokyo and back, Claire spoke about building a career around curiosity and adaptability rather than rigid planning. She emphasized the value of taking on roles that expand perspective—particularly those rooted in strategy, which “put you in the room” where key decisions happen.
Claire encouraged students to be intentional about career moves but not overly rigid in defining them. Her message was clear: success doesn’t follow one formula. “I didn’t know I wanted to be a marketer,” she shared. “I wanted to have an impact on the world—by fixing a category that was broken.”
Rebranding with Purpose
Claire shared an inside look at The Hartford’s recent brand refresh, which she described as a project that required not only creative vision but also alignment across diverse stakeholders. The effort, she explained, was about translating a legacy brand into a modern, digital-first identity while maintaining the trust and ethics that define it.
In discussing the process, Claire reflected on the power of clarity—both in messaging and in leadership. The rebrand, she noted, was as much about unifying internal teams as it was about connecting with customers.
Reflections from Students
Students responded enthusiastically to Claire’s honesty and practical insights:
“I found the entire program incredibly valuable and informative. Coming from a finance & data analytics background, I wanted firsthand insight into the insurance industry and Claire delivered perfectly.”
“Beyond the industry knowledge, her career advice was profoundly impactful. Her energy was vivid as she sincerely answered questions about balancing career and family. Her point that ‘all career paths may not look like hers and still be successful’ was a key takeaway for me.”
“Claire's unique career path was particularly insightful. She provided an unparalleled perspective, masterfully blending her leadership and CMO experience. I was especially impressed by her deep dive into her company's recent rebranding, detailing how she navigated potential challenges while managing stakeholder expectations.”
“She described that the marketing departments that boost up other departments and share in success, affirming the contributions from these cross-functionals instead of trying to take all the glory for themselves, tend to be more recession proof.”
“…She made insurance – an often dry industry – come across as innovative, relevant, and dynamic. I could tell that she is a respected leader with great presence either in a board room or in the public sphere when describing The Hartford’s brand innovation.”
“Claire Burns is just so inspiring in general! The lunch in the C-suite completely changed my strategy on career development and recruiting.”
YCCI extends sincere thanks to Claire for returning to Yale SOM and sharing her thoughtful reflections, generous advice, and perspective on what it means to build a career defined by agility, curiosity, and impact.
Interested in a speaking opportunity at Yale SOM? Reach out to us at ycci@som.yale.edu.
