Being prepared to start at the bottom and work very hard is the formula that has led Bermudians Michelle Seymour-Smith and Sally Pimentel to a high level of responsibility at Arch Reinsurance Ltd.The company announced last Friday that the two friends had been promoted. Ms Seymour-Smith will take over as Arch Re’s chief financial officer, while Ms Pimentel is promoted to the position of vice-president, controller.As CFO, Ms Seymour-Smith will oversee all financial operations of Arch Re as the company continues its growth and expansion into new markets. She joined Arch in 2004 as vice-president, controller and has over 15 years of experience in the insurance and reinsurance industry.Before joining Arch Re, Ms Seymour-Smith was with XL. Ms Seymour-Smith received a Bachelor’s degree from Dalhousie University and is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bermuda.In her new role, Ms Pimentel will have primary responsibility for Arch Re’s Finance department, including all financial and management reporting. Ms Pimentel joined Arch Re in 2004 as assistant controller and has over 12 years of experience in the insurance and reinsurance industry.Before joining Arch, Ms Pimentel was with Ace Tempest Reinsurance Ltd. Ms Pimentel holds a Bachelor’s degree from Acadia University and is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bermuda.The two women have climbed the ranks together since joining Arch seven years ago. “We worked together at Arthur Andersen and when Arch hired me, they told me I would need to hire an assistant, so I hired Sally,” Ms Seymour-Smith recalled. “Having Sally alongside me is one of the reasons I’ve been successful.”Ms Seymour-Smith was focused on making a career for herself in international business from an early age. At the age of 14, she was gaining experience, making coffee and doing whatever else she could do to help in the offices of Johnson & Higgins (now Marsh).Inspired by her chartered accountant uncle Chris Coelho, she was convinced that international business was the place for her. Her parents, Helen and Dennis Seymour, ensured that education was of paramount importance in her younger years.For Ms Pimentel, it was Frank Bento, the uncle of her husband Andrew Bento, whose career in international business helped to inspire her to follow a similar path. She also had strong parental support in getting a good education and the support of her husband, she said, has helped her to put in the necessary time to succeed in business.Asked for some advice for young Bermudians looking to follow her career path, Ms Seymour-Smith said: “Be willing to start at the bottom and work very hard.“It’s not enough just to get a degree, you have to get professional qualifications and maybe an advanced degree. Start by being prepared to do anything. If you show that nothing is beneath you, people will notice that and help you on your way.” She could remember occasions when she had slept in an office chair to put in the hours necessary to perform an audit in preparation for an initial public offering.“It’s a long hard road and you have to be prepared to work hard,” Ms Pimentel said. “Here at Arch, I feel we have a good group and I don’t hate waking up in the morning to go to my job. At Arch, they value the opinion of Finance and that’s not true of every company.”Nicolas Papadopoulo, the president and chief executive officer of Arch Re Ltd, said: “Since joining the company, Michelle’s expertise and leadership have been a great complement to our senior management team as she has played a vital role in our success. Sally has also been integral in improving our overall financial controls and processes.“Their expertise and familiarity with our financial requirements have definitely proven to be a huge asset and these promotions only solidify their continuing contribution to the company.”