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YOUR MONEY MAKES A DIFFERENCE
The funds you’ve raised really do help our chosen charities
GO Get to know the Systems team better in our Team Spotlight
T N E M P O L E V PUT YOUR DE S T F I R
ng with and launch your learni
training workshops
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WELLBEING
CHAMPIONS
TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH DOESN’T HAVE TO BE SCARY. Join us for some fundraising fun this Halloween with a ‘spooktacular’ week of events for Mind. Further details coming soon!
Beastly bakes Pernicious pumpkins Ghostly goings on …and much more!
Take care, Your Wellbeing Champions Nic | Jess | Colette | Matt | Alexa | Phil 2
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Hi all, More, more, more! No, we’re not talking about the Andrea True song. You told us you wanted to hear more about your colleagues across the Bravo Group, who is in their team and what they do. And in this edition, we’re bringing you a whole lot of just that.
It’s fantastic that we’re all getting to know one another across the Group, and it’s safe to say the insurance world is learning more about us as well. Bravo Group name has made some noise in the industry press over the summer with the our financials for 2018, Bennett Christmas joining Ethos We’ve put a few people in the Broking, the Learning Network’s BIA limelight for our new Bravo Bytes video win, to name a few. Remember, we’re series, so we can get to know one all stronger together, yet distinctly another that bit better. We’re starting different, that’s what makes the Bravo with Alan Sumner to find out all about Group unique. Compass Networks, turn to page five to hear what Alan has to say. We’re looking forward to getting together for our next Let’s Socialise On page nine, we gave our newest event on 4th September – it's going to IRM, Neil Laird, the traditional BN be a great evening for us all to catch initiation, asking him about his up outside the office! Check out page experience and what his key focus is. 14 for all the details. The next team to go under the Yours, spotlight is Systems Consultancy. On page 15, Manager Carl Chapman tells us all about the team and what they’re working on.
Beth
Contents 04
B ravo G ro up new s
06
Invest i ng i n t he f uture g e n e rat ion
08
Yo ur m o ney m akes a d ifference
10
Yo ur l earni ng, yo ur way
12
Ro ck t he bo at
15
Spo t l i ght o n Systems Consul tan cy
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H eard i t o n t he grapev ine
18
M o vers and shakers
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6 0 seco nds w i t h N e il Laird
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BRAVO GROUP COMPASS C SMASH IT!
NEWS
ompass London Markets is really going from strength to strength this year and the team have continued to smash their new business targets month on month since April. For July, the Motor division placed 245% of the new business target, equating to around ÂŁ1.6m of their new premium. Overall, Compass London Markets achieved more than 180% of their new business target for July. Amazing work by everyone involved.
NEWS FROM OUR ETHOS BROKERS GOING THE WHOLE NINE YARDS‌
Just five months after BN Partners rebranded as Ethos Broking, the team made the exciting announcement that Bennett Christmas Insurance Brokers are the newest and ninth regional broking powerhouse to join the family. This is fantastic news for Ethos Broking and is keeping it within the Group, as Bennett Christmas is a former Broker Network Premier Member. The fantastic news that Bennett Christmas is the latest Ethos Broker to join the fold has been positively received in the press.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
FOUR IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
The team at Saffron Insurance revealed their fourth acquisition since becoming an Ethos Broking Partner, welcoming BN Member Bridge Insurance Services to the Ethos group. The announcement was positively received with the trades, with nearly all covering the good news.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE!
O
ff the back of the announcement that Bennett Christmas is the ninth Ethos Broker, MD Richard Tuplin has shared what makes the brand different and stand out in the market in an exclusive interview with Insurance Times.
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ome of you will already know that we’ve pointed our video camera at a few individuals across the business. In direct response to your feedback that you want to know more about what’s going across the business, in addition to our Team Spotlight features here in Our Voice, some of our members of staff will be ‘enjoying’ their 15 minutes of fame. With Compass and Ethos Broking now part of the Bravo Group, it’s more important than ever that we all get to know what one another is up to. To kick us off, we put Alan Sumner from Compass under the spotlight and asked him to tell us everything we need to know about Compass.
STOP THE PRESS
THE LATEST TWO MEMBERS OF EXCO TO WRITE A COLUMN FOR INSURANCE BUSINESS ARE CLARE WAKEFORD AND RICHARD PITT. NEW BLOOD SELLING THE RIGHT WAY “If you want to be in control of your own destiny, be a broker.” These are the words of Richard, who discusses how we have a duty to win the war for talent in the insurance sector.
CLICK HERE TO READ RICHARD’S COLUMN
Clare is dispelling some myths to help brokers take care of their best asset, their people, while also doing what’s right for their business when they’re looking to sell.
CLICK HERE TO READ CLARE’S COLUMN
MAKING OUR MARK…
We’ll soon be putting Bravo Group on the digital map with a new website, as well as giving the Compass website a fresh new look. The sites have been designed by the Comms team with the development work set to be carried out by the Marketing Consultancy team. Watch this space!
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INVESTING IN THE FUTURE GENERATION Can you remember your first venture into the world of work? Was it a work experience placement at a local shop, a paper round or maybe helping out at the family business? We know how important it is to get those initial steps into working life, and that’s why over the summer we’ve welcomed four students on work experience placements.
“TIGHT KNIT FEEL”
Charlotte Ellis, who is starting university in September to study Marketing and Advertising, joined our Communications and Events and Marketing Consultancy teams for a week at a time. She said: “I have found it to be a unique working environment, compared with my previous experiences of office jobs. I was wowed by the tight knit feel of the company, even though it is continually expanding and growing. It is a company that I would definitely love to come and work for again in the future, if I get the opportunity.” Of course, as Charlotte was with our two Marketing teams, she put pen to paper and wrote a blog about her experience. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM CHARLOTTE
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“I’VE BEEN IN THEIR SHOES”
The Client Money team welcomed Katie Nobe’s daughter Sophie Arthington, who is heading into sixth form, and Nick Yaxley’s son Jake, who has just finished his GCSEs and will be starting a construction apprenticeship soon, on work experience. Colette Hewlett said: “I actually came to Broker Network on work experience when I was in sixth form and ended up getting a job here as an office junior when I left school, so I know what it is like to be in their shoes. I know that it can be a bit difficult to give them tasks to complete but I like to show them a variety of jobs and not just scanning and filing, so they’ve been looking into some queries and working on mini projects. I enjoy talking to anyone who comes in on work experience and finding out what they enjoy, their future plans and giving them some tips on what it is like to be in full-time work.”
THE DOOR IS OPEN
We’re always happy to welcome anyone who would like to join us for a work experience placement. If you know a student or young person who would like get taste of working life, please speak to HR.
“A SENSE OF DIRECTION”
Sociology student Abbie Weaire broadened her experience with the Bravo Group, after her first foray into the world of employment at her mum Lena Weaire’s business, Ethos Broker Knighthood. Abbie joined our Communications and Events team for a week to see whether it is a career path she would like to pursue. Abbie said: “This experience has given me an insight on how a professional working environment operates in many different scenarios and how the variety and diversity of roles all coincide efficiently and effectively with one another. This friendly, vibrant team here in Communications and Events has changed my perceptions on this world entirely and have given me a real sense of direction. Not once throughout my time here have I felt like a tourist; what I thought would be a foreign
environment has felt familiar and comfortable. So, thank you to everyone here at Broker Network for making the thought of entering this new world after university exciting.” We also asked Abbie to share her thoughts on her time at BN in a blog post. CLICK HERE TO READ ABBIE'S BLOG
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Your money matters. It’s been great to hear from our chosen charities at our Let’s Talk sessions to learn about their amazing efforts. The talk from Martin House was incredibly moving, and
to see the work they do first-hand, Des and Beth visited the charity this month for a tour of the hospice and to meet with some of the staff.
Did you know Martin House Children’s Hospice supports more than 400 families and 170 bereaved families across Yorkshire? which costs the charity £8 million a year to provide this vital service but only 11% of its funding comes from the government… … that’s just £880,000. That means Martin House still needs to fund £7,120,000 every year. Let’s see if we can raise even more to help this local cause – don’t forget to buy your ticket for the Holiday Raffle.
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This is not a drill…
win an extra day’s Are you in or out? Will you spend the day under the duvet
catching up on some zzzs or will you go on your next adventure? On offer are three separate days holiday for three different individuals, which must be taken before 25th December 2019. There are also some other fantastic prizes to be won: -
£10 Love2Shop voucher
- A bottle of prosecco -
£25 Pizza Express voucher
- A bottle of Taittinger champagne -
£25 Everyman Cinema voucher £50 John Lewis voucher
To be in with a chance of winning, raffle tickets are on sale now at £1 each and can be bought from Nikki Lee, Alison Fordham and Michelle Fox, with the prizes being drawn on 4th September. All the money raised will be donated to Martin House.
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YOUR LEARNING
YOUR WAY
>>
The Learning Network is your learning and development team, working just as hard for you as they do for Members. Whether it’s the role you’re in today or your dream job that you’re working towards, they’re here to help you grow. They can support you with professional qualifications, soft skill workshops that help you every day and digital learning at a time and place that suits you. Here are their five top tips for getting started on your learning and development journey:
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1
DO LOOK BACK IN REFLECTION
Before considering what it is that you want to achieve, think about your progress over the last 12 months. This will help you to get a sense of what’s going well and the areas that you can improve on.
2
KNOW THYSELF
3
YOU SHOOT, YOU SCORE – GOAL!
4
BE SMART
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Voice
Do you draw a blank when someone asks you what your strengths and weakness are? Write down a list of all your strong suits and where you can develop. Your strengths are a mixture of your experience, knowledge and skills; they’re often the things you enjoy and do well. Understanding your strengths will help to identify activities where you can add value. By recognising your weaknesses, you can find the support to help you to fill gaps in your skills and knowledge.
Deciding what you want to achieve takes a lot of thought, so don’t be deterred if an answer doesn’t spring to mind. These goals can be short-term, long-term, big or small. If you’re stuck, ask yourself the following questions – are there any new skills I’d like to learn? Where do I want to progress? What role do I see myself in? What skills could I develop?
Now that you know what you want to achieve, it’s time to set some actions. Focus on what you’re striving towards and work backwards from there, outlining the steps you need to take. This could be reading up on a topic, taking a workshop or Virtual Classroom, shadowing a colleague or enrolling on one of our apprenticeship programmes. It’s important that the actions are clear, a great way to do this is follow the SMART method; keep them Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timed.
THE EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM
5
We’d recommend updating your PDP regularly, rather than only reflecting on it at the mid or end-ofyear reviews. Setting a weekly or monthly reminder in your calendar is a great way to get yourself into the habit of reviewing your progress. Remember, nothing is set in stone and objectives may need to be tweaked from time to time; if you’re working on something or have an idea that you think would make a useful objective, why not add it in? Just don’t forget to discuss it with your line manager.
BRUCIE BONUS
TIP!
We all know the saying ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’, and in this case, it’s true… reach out to the people you think could help you, whether it’s your manager, a colleague or even a friend. A support network around you is really valuable, so use it and don’t underestimate it. Don’t forget, self-growth is an investment in yourself and the Learning Network team are invested in your personal development. So, if there’s something you’re looking for, speak to the team.
SIGN ME UP! 18 SEP 10-10.45
WEBINAR
Introduction to Insurance
Have you registered for one of the upcoming Face-toFace Workshops, Virtual Classrooms or Webinars yet?
9 SEP 2-3.30
2 OCT
10-10.45
VIRTUAL CLASSROOM
Courageous Conversations
WEBINAR
Online Security in the Workplace
16 SEP 2-3.30
16 OCT 10-10.45
FACE-TO-FACE WORKSHOP
Bounce Back
WEBINAR
Senior Manager & Certification Regime
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K C RO a t ! T H E
o B
Our beer, bangers and boating social event was lots of fun! We caught a few snaps of you all… including some video footage of the chaos that was the ‘race’!
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LET'S
Socialise
GET A SLICE OF THE ACTION
When? Wednesday 4th September 6 – 10pm
Where? Our Pizza Night will take place at The Foundry Project in Harrogate.
Remember it's dress down day and all the money raised will be donated to Martin House
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SPOTLIGHT ON SYSTEMS
SPOTLIGHT ON...
S Y S T E M S
The second team to step into the limelight are Systems Consultancy! In a nutshell... Systems Consultancy ensure Members get maximum value from their broking platform.
Carl Chapman Systems Consultancy Manager
“
I once had a beer with racing driver Nigel Mansell. I had won a competition to go and see the final stage of the Tour of Britain cycling event in London two years ago and Nigel was in the hospitality area. Turns out he is the General Manager for the Team UK Youth Cycling team and a really nice guy.”
Hayley Tierney Systems Consultant
“
I was one of Ken Dodd’s Diddy Men as a kid… people of a certain age will know what that is!”
WE ASKED CARL TO TELL US THE SYSTEMS CONSULTANCY ELEVATOR PITCH IN LESS THAN 60 SECONDS! Other than their offices or the physical hardware, a broker’s software platform is their next largest business expense, but many don’t utilise it to its full potential, and that’s why we’re here. It’s our job to ensure that Premier Members are fully trained, aware of what their broking software can do for them and that they are working within ‘best practice’. This can involve anything from a broker getting in touch asking how they perform a certain task or to help with an error, right through to the team conducting a systems health check and supporting Members with implementing changes to their business processes and software.
WHAT BIG PROJECTS ARE THE TEAM CURRENTLY WORKING ON? Our largest project at the moment is keeping Members and internal stakeholders up to date on the changes Acturis is making to its accounts module. We've also created some supporting material for Members who use our service to
Katie Nobes Senior Systems Consultant
“
I swam competitively for my hometown when I was younger”
Simon Flanigan Systems Support Executive
“
I was the mascot for Leeds United when I was 10.”
make sure they are ready for the new system coming into effect in September. In addition, we’ve had quite a few new and existing Members changing their system to Acturis lately, including one sizeable broker, so the team have been busy conducting a lot of training this summer.
WHAT’S COMING UP FOR THE SYSTEMS TEAM THIS YEAR? As I’m sure everyone can appreciate, broking software is constantly evolving, so it’s important that the team keeps up to date with these changes, including a couple of the software houses developing new broking platforms. One of the great things about working in the Systems Consultancy team is there is always an opportunity to develop and learn more as the software is continually developing.
WATCH OUT...
It could be your team next, so get your fun facts ready!
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Grapevine... HEARD IT ON THE
Stay in the loop with our lowdown of the latest news from around the business.
HISTORY IN THE MAKING It’ll soon be time for us to get on the road again as we travel across the country to network with our Members at the Regional Meetings. This year, we’re celebrating the history of the Network; many of the venues we’ve chosen have a rich heritage from the 18th Century Tatton Park to the over 600-year-old Drapers’ Hall, and we’re encouraging Members to establish their own legacy with the Network by attending the meetings! Members can now register their place for the events, taking place throughout October. Why not mention it when you’re speaking to brokers? They’re a great opportunity for them to give feedback and have their say. GLASGOW 3rd October Grand Central Hotel
HARROGATE 7th October Rudding Park
CHESHIRE 8th October Tatton Park
TEWKESBURY 9th October Puckrup Hall Hotel
LONDON 11th October Drapers' Hall
MAKING THE SWITCH We understand that when brokers are switching from being an AR to directly authorised that it’s a daunting experience, and that’s why Adam Lee has been emailing and blogging to let Prospects know just how much support the Network can give them. CLICK TO READ BLOG ONE
CLICK TO READ BLOG TWO
CLICK TO READ BLOG THREE
KEEPING THE DISCUSSION GOING After our last Let’s Talk session in June, there were many themes that came out of the afternoon. Beth and Clare have been in touch with the nominated speakers from each table and have talked through the topics to keep the conversations going. We have created mini project groups and will be focusing on one theme at a time and the first area we will be looking at is the Bravo Group values. The members of the project groups will then get their departments involved and we will begin to shape things across the wider business.
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WINNING BIG We've welcomed a new Member to Broker Network for August, McParland Finn Limited. After the team visited the Knaresborough office and heard from all our Member Services, Alexa Owen brought the Manchester-based Professional Indemnity broker on board. McParland has a GWP of £12m and is bringing an amazing £50k to the Network! Congratulations to everyone involved!
WONDER WOMAN! Have you run a race? How about running for 24 hours straight? Well, that’s exactly what Natalie Hale did! On 30th June, she had to run as many five mile laps as she could in 24 hours. Her goal was to run 100km, which she smashed, running 14 laps for a distance of 112km and coming in 30th out of 150 solo female runners! Natalie said: “I’ve taken part in four of these races before but always as part of a team and this year I decided I wanted a greater personal challenge, so I entered as a solo runner. Training included me running up and jumping up and down on the Knaresborough Castle steps! Overall, I found it was as much of a mental challenge as a physical challenge but the hardest thing was making myself eat and drink enough.”
WELCOME TO THE WORLD, RALPH! Congratulations to BDM James McCarthy and his wife Megan, who have welcomed their second child, Ralph, into the world. Ralph was born at 1am on 27th July, making the family four as he joined big brother, five-year-old Archie.
BUNDLE OF JOY Congratulations to Beth Woolveridge, who is expecting her first child with husband Joe. Baby Woolveridge is due in November and will be a surprise, as Beth and Joe don’t want to know the gender until their little one arrives.
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MOVERS SHAKERS & There are a few new faces that have joined our family, and we asked them those all important questions, so that we can get to know them a bit better!
NAME Kyle Graves.
NAME Vicky Phillips.
JOB TITLE Payroll Assistant.
JOB TITLE Treasury & Finance Administrator.
DEPARTMENT Payroll.
DEPARTMENT Finance.
DESCRIBE YOUR JOB IN ONE SENTENCE I pay you, so be nice!
DESCRIBE YOUR JOB IN ONE SENTENCE Reconciliations!
WHAT'S YOUR COOKING SPECIALITY? I make a good curry!
WHICH WORD/FOOD/SMELL CAN YOU NOT ABIDE AND WHY? I really hate the phrase
WHICH THREE ITEMS WOULD YOU TAKE WITH YOU TO A DESERT ISLAND? Does a person count? If so, Bear Grylls. If not, his book, matches and a sauce pan for boiling water.
“Things are hotting up!”
WHICH THREE ITEMS WOULD YOU TAKE WITH YOU TO A DESERT ISLAND? My husband, factor 50 sunscreen and prosecco.
NAME David McGrail.
NAME Will Khammo.
JOB TITLE IT Service Desk Analyst.
JOB TITLE Senior Risk & Compliance Officer.
DEPARTMENT IT.
DEPARTMENT Group Risk and Compliance.
DESCRIBE YOUR JOB IN ONE SENTENCE Trying to keep people
DESCRIBE YOUR JOB IN ONE SENTENCE Helping the business
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE JOKE?
WHICH WORD/FOOD/SMELL CAN YOU NOT ABIDE AND WHY?
happy and avoid the dreaded shutdown restart phrase.
Four fonts walk into a bar and the barman says: “Oi – get out. We don’t want your type in here.”
WHAT THREE WORDS WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE YOUR DANCING STYLE?
stay compliant.
Shellfish, as I am allergic.
WHAT THREE WORDS WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE YOUR DANCING STYLE? Bad dad dancing.
Enthusiastically poor salsa.
This month, we’ve said a fond farewell to Jenny Hemmings, who has made the decision to move on from the Bravo Group to spend more time with her family; Julie Branton, who is joining Rural and Commercial Holdings as their new BDM in the East Anglia and South East Area; Glenn Miller, who has joined Lost Earth Adventures in York as a Content Writer; and Ola Akingbade, who will be the new the Senior Analyst with Yorkshire Building Society in Leeds. We’re also waving goodbye to Dan Howard, who is going travelling.
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Sadly leaving the Bravo Group for pastures new in September is Janet Bates, who will be joining the team at BN Premier Member, Glendinnings, after seven years with the company, working as PA for three CEOs during her time with the business.
60 SECONDS WITH...
What is your background? I’ve been in the insurance industry most of my career, predominately within Personal Lines, spending my formative years with Bank of Scotland (hence the Scottish accent!) and Halifax General Insurance here in Yorkshire. Thereafter, I have held senior Personal Lines product and trading roles with some of the UK’s leading brands and brokers, such as Sainsbury’s Insurance, Tesco Insurance, Arthur J Gallagher and Brightside. Recently, I have been within an Insuretech company Trak Global, who specialise in powering younger driver insurance telematics and digital propositions to the likes of More Than, Smart Wheels and Carrot Insurance. What is your key focus at Broker Network and Bravo Group? I will be working with Dan McNally to build, develop and grow our Personal Lines propositions to our Members, initially within Broker Network. My primary aim is to extract as much value from our Insurer Partners as possible by working closely with them and the Network to ensure our products meet Members’ and, ultimately, customers’ needs. Our new motor panel will provide Members with a much stronger offering, so completing the roll out across all software houses will be a key priority, in addition to launching new schemes on all lines of business. An enhanced and broader travel product is also on my radar, and I will be looking for insurers who can provide us with a compelling offering. Customer expectations of insurance is changing, with greater focus on personalisation and bespoke cover that will leverage data-led products. I believe we are uniquely positioned to capitalise on this by providing insurers with a distribution route that builds on strong broker/customer relationships that create distinct and positive outcomes in return. Who will sit on your panel of insurers? Our new motor panel has four main players – two of our strategic insurers, Axa and Ageas, are complemented by Zurich and Markerstudy, who are relatively new to the Network. I’m sure you enjoyed the recent ‘On the Road’ campaign promoting Markerstudy’s new IHP products, so look out for more from Markerstudy soon! Additionally, we are working with Sabre, Provisional Marmalade, RSA, Integra and Towergate to provide Members with a broad and competitive panel.
Neil Laird
Our new Insurer Relations Manager explains how he plans to work with our Insurer Partners panel on Members’ behalf. I’m excited by our partnership with Atlanta Group which will soon enable us to launch with new and innovative panel members across Private Car, Commercial Vehicle and Household and provide more sophisticated pricing and bespoke rating to Members – watch this space! How will the Network’s BDM community play a part in your role? The BDM community is critical to the success of our Personal Lines business. It is important we deliver products that are right for Members and their customers. I’m looking forward to working closely with Chris, Martin and their BDM teams to understand Member needs and learn more about their customers. I’m a firm believer in using customer insights to shape product development as this will help us to differentiate our offering and create greater value for Members and our Insurer Partners. The BDM community will help unlock this. There are a lot of new, emerging Personal Lines products, such as ‘on demand modular courier cover’, ‘pay as you go car insurance’, ‘connected home’ and ‘Airbnb modular cover’, and insurers are now moving into the tech space to account for changing customer needs. Involving the BDM team and Member insights at the start of potential new products will ensure our future product range will evolve in the right way. What is your number one aim for the remainder of 2019? Can I be greedy and have two aims? Firstly, to demonstrate the value of our Personal Lines offering to Members through the roll out of our enhanced panels which will deliver improved schemes, bespoke ratings and pricing sophistication. This will create a platform for growth next year and beyond. My second aim is to see Kilmarnock FC top of the Scottish Premiership and in the group stages of the Europa League! What’s your favourite joke? The Scotland football team. What food / smell / word can you not abide and why? Smelly feet – rank! If you had to eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Pizza.
When you’re not working, where would we find you? Either in the gym or the pub. I like to lead a balanced life! In a different life, what would your career path have been? A Professional footballer.
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got some news you'd like to share? Don’t keep it to yourself – get in touch with the Communications & Events team and we’ll spread the word! •
Maybe your team have achieved something extra special and deserve some recognition?
•
Perhaps you’ve come across something that could be of interest to the business?
•
You might want to start up a new exercise class or social group...
•
...or anything else that you think needs a spot in the mag!
Email internalcommunications@brokernetwork.co.uk or pop through to see Nikki Wallis or Nicolette (just opposite meeting room 0).
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