Behind every product, platform and piece of engineering tooling is a team making hundreds of decisions about what to build, what to prioritise and what problem they're solving. That's where Ruth comes in.
As Head of Product Engineering at L&G, Ruth leads teams that build, run and develop technology products across Institutional Retirement. Their work spans everything from business applications and modelling platforms to AI products and engineering tooling.
Working closely with colleagues across the business, Ruth helps create the conditions for great engineering. That means bringing together the right people, skills, technology and ways of working to deliver with the business, not around it.
A role that rarely looks the same twice
There is no typical week in Ruth's role, which is one of the reasons she enjoys it. One day might involve working with engineers on a technical challenge or helping shape a product roadmap. Another could focus on strategy, organisational design or how AI can improve the way teams work.
Much of her time is spent helping teams move forward: removing blockers, creating clarity and making sure engineering decisions stay connected to the problem they're trying to solve.
“It's easy to focus on technology for technology's sake,” Ruth says. “But the best engineers understand the problem they are trying to solve, the value they are delivering and the people affected by those outcomes.”
In financial services, engineering work often sits close to complex business, customer and regulatory needs. The best outcomes usually come from engineers, product teams and business colleagues working together early, asking better questions and staying open to change.
Growing into new opportunities
Ruth joined L&G in late 2022 to lead the D365 engineering team. Since then, her role has evolved through engineering leadership, product ownership and platform engineering before moving into her current role as Head of Product Engineering.
Along the way, she has helped shape technology strategy, supported the move towards a product-led operating model and played a part in major transformation programmes across the business.
“The biggest thing that helped me progress was being given opportunities to step outside my comfort zone,” Ruth says. “I've been encouraged to take ownership, challenge constructively and get involved in areas beyond my immediate role.”
If you're considering a technology career at L&G, progression does not have to mean following one narrow route. You might deepen your technical expertise, move towards engineering leadership, explore product management or work across architecture, delivery and platform teams.
What makes a great engineer?
Technical capability matters, but it is only part of the picture. For Ruth, curiosity, collaboration and a willingness to keep learning matter just as much.
“I look for people who are kind, curious, pragmatic and willing to keep learning,” she says. “Technology changes incredibly quickly, so the people who do well are usually those who embrace the change, iterate and implement ideas, even if they don't work out quite right.”
With AI and automation changing how technology teams work, those qualities matter more than ever. The tools will keep changing. The valuable skill is learning quickly, testing ideas and adapting when things do not go to plan.
“The days of technologists working in isolation are long gone,” Ruth says. “The best solutions come from people who can work effectively with colleagues from different backgrounds and bring together technology from multiple disciplines, business areas and customer perspectives.”
How to build a product engineering career here
Ruth's advice is simple: stay curious, keep learning and do not wait until you feel completely ready before putting yourself forward.
“Some of the biggest steps in my own career have come from saying yes to challenges that felt slightly outside my comfort zone,” she says. “Even when I did not feel good enough.”
At L&G, there are opportunities to work on large-scale transformation programmes, learn new technologies, gain professional certifications, move into leadership or build deeper technical expertise. There are also routes for people earlier in their careers, including apprenticeship programmes and opportunities to move across engineering, architecture, product management and delivery.
Leading teams where people can do their best work
As a leader, Ruth sees her role as creating the conditions for teams to succeed. That means giving people clarity, supporting their development and helping them understand the bigger picture, not just the task in front of them.
It also means making room for constructive challenge. Good engineering cultures need people who are comfortable asking why, testing assumptions and improving ideas together.
The scale of the challenge is what attracted Ruth to L&G in the first place: the opportunity to modernise platforms and contribute to change in line with business goals.
“I've been trusted to lead significant pieces of work, encouraged to bring new ideas forward and supported in my own development,” she says. “There are kind and talented people here who genuinely want to make things better.”
The person behind the role
The same curiosity shows up outside work too. Ruth has recently taken up running and is training for a half marathon. She and her husband Dave also share a love of military history, which often means trips to WW1 and WW2 sites across France and Belgium, including Ypres and Normandy.
At home, there is Pepe, a very spoiled cat, and a team who have learned to live with Ruth's Harry Potter quotes and occasional skits appearing in meetings without warning. She's still waiting for someone to add “Reparo” to the engineering toolkit.
Explore technology and engineering careers at L&G
If you're curious about product engineering, platform engineering, AI, automation or technology careers in financial services, explore current technology opportunities at L&G.
Explore technology, digital and data careers at L&G.
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