Feature article

BUSINESS STRATEGY SPECIAL REPORT

YOUNG GUNS 2021

New generation leads the way forward

SPEAK TO any insurance recruitment professional and you will likely hear the same story – very few young people have ever ‘planned’ for a career in insurance.

The difficulty of attracting new talent into the insurance industry has been discussed at length at panels and industry events throughout the world. Replacing insurance professionals as quickly as they retire has proven to be a constant challenge. But despite this ongoing struggle to recruit fresh faces, the bright side of the story is constantly told by brokers, underwriters, senior managers and others in the industry. Those who enter the insurance space overwhelmingly discover a passion for the

YOUNG GUNS BY GENDER

sector and grow to appreciate the role it plays in the communities it serves, as well as the opportunities it offers for professional and personal growth – as a result, it has created a ‘forever career’ for many young newcomers.

The Insurance Business Young Guns list was first published in New Zealand in 2018 and aims to recognise the young talent making a splash in the insurance industry. The popular annual list highlights the impressive achievements of the sector’s up-and-comers, many of whom have gone on to become respected leaders and innovators within their organisations.

The Young Guns 2021 list includes a mix of underwriters, insurance brokers, directors

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Those who enter the insurance space overwhelmingly discover a passion for the sector and appreciate the role it plays within the communities it serves

and claims managers, and this year’s winners already have some impressive achievements under their belts.

Young Gun Ryan Mulder of Quantum Finance was highlighted by his manager for building up a significant book of business from scratch in just three years with no prior insurance experience. He also created a simplified customer service and insurance onboarding process, and the results speak for themselves: Mulder’s client retention rate sits at an impressive 99%, and his figures were on track to increase by 40% by the end of the last year.

Another star on the 2021 list is Marc Casey, Gallagher Bassett’s New Zealand