Meet Alex Mihos

In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’re sharing stories that Inspire Inclusion from women at AIA.

Meet Alex Mihos, Director of Group Corporate Development & Transactions, Healthcare

What do you enjoy about mergers and acquisitions (M&A)?

I'm a person who likes a bit of unpredictability. I'd be terrible if I knew exactly what the next day, week, or month might look like. In M&A, it's always changing and it’s fast-paced which I find exciting.

There’s also a direct link to strategy, which is interesting and I like that you can make a big impact in a relatively short period. Plus, being in the business gives me a better appreciation of the context of the deals, whereas in banking you can feel quite removed.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career?

My first job out of university was in investment banking, and just two years later, I lost it when the global financial crisis hit in 2008.

When you're quite young and new to the industry, that's a huge blow. You think, ‘What do I do now?’ As much as you know that it's an industry issue, it's really hard not to take it personally.

How did you get through it?

I had some amazing people in my corner who looked out for me and helped me find my next role, which has taken me down a career path I would never have mapped out myself, but I'm really happy with how it turned out.

If you could go back in time, what would you say to yourself?

It's easy to say in retrospect but I’d say, ‘Use that time off because it’s so rare.’

Reflecting on your career, are there any milestones you're particularly proud of?

In my previous company I spent two years working in India. I learnt a huge amount, and made some great friends along the way.

After I left, I maintained involvement with the market through a regional role – in that time, seeing the business go from a turnaround phase to really flying. It was especially rewarding because I felt like I’d earned my stripes on the ground and played a part - however small - in where it is today.

Has having a champion been a common thread throughout your career?

Yes, it has. And they’re not always someone more senior. When I was in Delhi, I learned a lot about strategy from some really talented colleagues. I tried to absorb as much knowledge from the experience as I could.

I also had some incredible sponsors in London who looked out for me, like the group CFO even though ordinarily someone at my level would have been nowhere near her radar.

How did that relationship come about?

I’d engaged with her on a project I was working on and she said I should get in touch with her the next time I was in London. It just grew from there. She was great; she always looked out for women in the company and was very generous with her time.

And I’m lucky enough to have great support at AIA now too – I’ve only been here 18 months or so, and already have a great network of colleagues, mentors and stakeholders.

How do you build your network and champion others in such a busy role?

I think that's one of the great things about M&A - because it's so cross-functional, you get to meet and work with a lot of people across the company. I try to call out people who are high performers or go the extra mile to their managers or other stakeholders. It's also a great way to give people different opportunities to stretch a bit.

What motivates you in your role at AIA?

I’m passionate about our integrated healthcare strategy which aims to make healthcare more accessible, more affordable, and more effective for millions of people across Asia.

Almost all of us have experience in interacting with healthcare systems – often finding them complicated to navigate. Finding the right doctor, getting referrals, finding health records, even filing insurance claims. At AIA, we have an opportunity to revolutionise healthcare to improve health outcomes, experiences, and affordability for our customers. Including through owning healthcare businesses, and creating seamless customer and patient journeys. Being able to contribute to that is really motivating.

What advice would you give other women this International Women’s Day?

Be curious and take risks.

Most of the jobs or projects I've put my hand up for, I've had no idea where they would lead or what would happen afterwards. But they've generally thrown me way outside my comfort zone. I've learned so much, met interesting people and built great relationships.

Give us an example of when you stepped out of your comfort zone.

My manager at the time asked me to join the board of a healthcare company in Saudi Arabia.

It was a daunting prospect. I’d never set foot in the country and didn’t know how to operate in a Saudi context. I had limited board experience and I knew very little about clinic businesses.

But to my point about taking risks and being curious, I went for it and I absolutely loved it. I’m very grateful for the opportunity.

How did you navigate the experience?

I did my homework and leant on my relationships to learn as much as I could in advance – from the other directors on the board, and friends. And when I arrived for my first meeting the Board, joint venture partner and management team were all really welcoming and supportive.

One of the highlights for me was working with the HR Director who was keen to showcase women leaders. We set up a couple of informal women-in-business events with mid-level leaders who were -simply amazing. They were so driven, clever and interesting. They wanted to talk about all sorts of things - work, family, podcasts, careers and travel. It was the highlight of my trips and I think I got more out of the events than they did.

Any final words of advice?

If you can, take the opportunity to work in a business and get closer to the customer – they are at the heart of our business. Our ability to add value in any role is much greater if you've got experience in a business.