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Spotlight on Athene’s Amanda Carstens Steward

SPOTLIGHT ON

Amanda Carstens Steward, Head of Marketing, Athene

August 2026

Can you share the journey that led you to your current position?

My career has been shaped by a willingness to take on new challenges and a genuine interest in helping businesses grow. I've always been energized by opportunities to build something, whether that's a brand, a marketing strategy, a high-performing team, or a new way of working that creates lasting impact. Each role has expanded my perspective and reinforced that the greatest results come from combining strategic thinking with collaboration and execution. Looking back, the common thread has always been a willingness to learn, adapt, and say yes to opportunities that stretched me.

What sets your company apart from others in your industry?

What stands out to me is that we're builders. We don't settle for how things have always been done. We're always looking for better ways to serve our clients, support our partners, and grow the business. That mindset shaped our brand work, too. We made a conscious shift from talking about products to focusing on the people we serve and the lives they want to live in retirement. By continuously finding better ways to operate, we're able to create greater value for our customers and help more Americans retire with confidence.

How is your company adapting to address the changing needs of consumers?

We're focused on anticipating where consumers are headed, not just responding to where they are today. That means reaching younger generations earlier in their financial journey, exploring new markets and distribution channels, and continuing to evolve how we engage with customers as expectations change. Retirement looks different from a generation ago, so we have to keep finding better ways to deliver value and make planning for retirement more relevant and accessible. I also believe our industry has a responsibility to find new ways to engage consumers and make retirement planning more relevant to their lives, and I appreciate the work LIMRA is doing to help advance that effort.

What emerging trends in the industry are you most excited about, and why?

I'm excited that our industry is recognizing we need to simplify retirement, not just sell retirement products. People don't think in terms of annuities; they think about replacing a paycheck, having confidence they'll have enough, and enjoying the next chapter of their lives. That gives us an opportunity to make retirement easier to understand by rethinking how we communicate and making retirement easier to understand. If we do that well, we can make a meaningful difference in how Americans experience retirement.

How would you describe your leadership style, and how does it influence your team’s/organization’s culture?

I'd describe my leadership style as collaborative, empowering, and results-oriented. I believe in hard work and hustle, pushing yourself beyond what you think is possible, and not letting fear stand in the way of growth. I encourage my team to challenge themselves, build new things, and embrace opportunities that stretch them because that's where innovation happens. At the same time, I believe the best results come from working alongside talented colleagues and partners with a shared purpose. And while we work hard, I also think it's important to have fun along the way. Great teams do their best work when they enjoy what they're building together.

How do you ensure your products and messaging resonate with consumers on a personal level?

It's a journey, and it starts with listening. We're spending more time understanding what consumers are trying to accomplish, not just what products they might buy. People don't think in terms of annuities; they think about replacing a paycheck, having confidence they'll have enough, and enjoying the next chapter of their lives. Those insights are shaping the direction of our brand and how we communicate. We're working to use plain language, reduce complexity, and tell stories that reflect people's goals because if people can better understand how these solutions fit into their lives, more Americans can benefit from them.

What are some of the biggest challenges currently facing the industry, and how is your company addressing them?

One of the biggest challenges facing our industry is helping people transition from saving for retirement to living in retirement. Americans are living longer, traditional pensions have become less common, and many people don't know how to turn their savings into reliable income. At Athene, we're focused on creating solutions that help address that need while also making them easier to understand. That means delivering strong value for customers, simplifying how we explain our products, and working with our partners to help more Americans see how our solutions can help turn savings into retirement income.

How does your work on the CMO Committee align with your professional goals and values?

One of my core beliefs is that we accomplish more when we work together. The CMO Committee gives us an opportunity to tackle challenges that no one company can solve on its own, whether that's simplifying how we talk about retirement or helping more Americans understand the value of our industry. I believe we all benefit when we collaborate, share ideas, and learn from one another. Together, we have the opportunity to make retirement more understandable and help more people retire with confidence.

 

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