Jonathan Egan
Jonathan Egan

Jonathan Egan is a living contradiction to the idea that one must choose between profit and purpose. Producer Partner at Lockton Companies and a board member of Queen Elizabeth II September 11th Garden, Egan has made it his mission to prove that one can lead both principle and performance, and that doing the right thing is not just possible, but truly necessary.

Egan currently works as a Client Advocate, specializing in M&A advisory and complex risks. But calling him just an insurance executive would be like calling New York 'just a city.' His daily work involves navigating the technical complexities of high-value transactions, de-risking capital flows, and supporting enterprise-scale innovation. Yet what defines his career is not just the deals he's helped close, but the ones he's helped make possible, especially the ones others wouldn't touch.

"I'm constantly working on projects that feel like uphill battles," says Egan. "They're often in energy, infrastructure, or emerging technology fields that take a lot more time, money, and conviction to support. Most investors walk away because it's not the low-hanging fruit. But those are the kinds of projects that actually move society forward." Whether it's billion-dollar clean energy initiatives or ambitious digital asset ventures, Egan's approach is unwavering: be the person who leans in when others don't.

What sets Egan apart isn't just his appetite for complexity. It's his insistence on making an impact. He spends a significant portion of his time working to remove friction from socially beneficial projects, building tailored insurance structures that de-risk innovation and make bold ideas bankable. That means long conversations with underwriters in London, New York, and Switzerland. It means advocating for technologies most people don't understand yet.

He doesn't do it because it's easy. He does it because someone has to. "I haven't reached a point where I've made so much money that I get to just pick passion projects," he says. "But I'm not willing to sacrifice my personal values for professional success either. So I've carved out a way to do both."

Egan's role at Lockton, a privately held firm, allows him an unusual degree of autonomy. That freedom has allowed him to build a career that blends entrepreneurship with ethics, supporting clients who make products and services that actually matter. He affirms, "I want to work on things that my children will be proud of. That means saying yes to complicated, messy, slow-burn projects that could take a decade to realize, but will change lives if they succeed."

Egan's unshakable sense of responsibility wasn't born in a boardroom. It was forged in loss. Egan was just 18 when he lost his father in a mishap. His dad had worked at one of the world's largest insurance brokers. At the time, Egan was in his first week of university and only beginning to understand the world of finance his father operated in. "I didn't know what my dad really did," he says. "But I knew I didn't want to just follow in anyone's footsteps. I wanted to take the scenic route."

That route included stints in trading, headhunting, startups, and an MBA. Along the way, he developed a deep interest in helping people, both in business and life.

Part of that came from growing up with a younger brother with Down syndrome. "My early years were shaped by watching my mom fight for my brother's basic needs. And later, fight to keep our family going after losing my dad," he says. "It was unfair. But it opened my eyes to how the world really works, and what people go through when no one is watching."

That personal experience now fuels his nonprofit work, where he often serves as the mentor he wished he had. This form of mentorship is far from new for Egan. As a single father, he balances days between raising his children and creating impact for the organizations and communities that are dear to his heart. "As my children grow, my work only becomes more important. I want to show them the good in the world and how being successful and impactful are not mutually exclusive," adds Egan.

Egan currently serves as the CEO of the Queen Elizabeth II September 11th Garden, a memorial and public space in Lower Manhattan dedicated to the Commonwealth victims of the 9/11 attacks. But more than a place of remembrance, the garden is a place of reconnection. It's a hub for first responders, veterans, and grieving families to share stories and rebuild community.

His impact goes even deeper with his volunteering work as a career mentor for young adults who lost a parent in the attacks, many of whom were still in the womb when it happened. "People forget about the aftermath," Egan says. "They forget about the kids left behind, the way trauma shapes a life before it even starts. I want to be the person they can talk to. I didn't have that. But I can be that for someone else."

Egan doesn't just help these young adults with resumes and interviews. He acts as a personal guide, helping them navigate the emotional and professional landscapes of a world that moved on while they were still learning how to grieve.

Truly, Jonathan Egan's story is proof that integrity and success are not mutually exclusive and that one can enter a space known for cynicism and redefine it with compassion. One can choose the harder path and still get where they want to go, as long as they remain true to their purpose.