VICTORIA/TASMANIA
Greg Tolson
Account Executive
Willis
Despite having spent just five short years in the insurance industry, Greg Tolson has wasted no time in developing a respected reputation both inside and outside Willis.
“I really enjoy finding solutions to problems for clients,” he says. “When you can get a claim paid above and beyond what a client expects or that may not have been paid – especially dealing with a lot of owners who have their own capital invested – when you can get a claim paid that they may not expect it is always a good feeling.”
“One of our clients had a loss and the insurers offered half of what the client expected and should have got. We negotiated pretty hard with the insurer to get back up to that level and they were extremely happy.”
NSW/ACT
Karl Truijens
Senior Account Manager
OAMPS
Karl Truijens balances his passion for broking with rugby union but that hasn’t stopped him excelling in both. A former professional player, he now plays semi-professionally and began with OAMPS three years ago after a stint in the Lloyd’s of London market and is now manages a hefty portfolio.
He says he aims to provide clients with more than just the right insurance policy.
“I have clients I have tailored specific ISRs around in north Queensland, where the risk of storm surge and flood is the key exposure. In that situation I’ve used risk management rather than risk transference,” he says.
“The focus was talking to the clients about how they can manage the risk of flood or storm surge rather than just transferring that risk to insurance for a very very high premium.”
“One of our clients had a loss and the insurers offered half of what the client expected and should have got. We negotiated pretty hard with the insurer to get back up to that level and they were extremely happy.”
QUEENSLAND
Natasha Burr
Account Manager
Parmia Insurance
For Natasha Burr, her nomination for the Warren Tickle Memorial Award carried a dose of extra sweetness. Danny Gumm, Parmia’s Director, picked up a nomination for the coveted Broker of the Year award in a double victory for the small firm.
“It’s fabulous that such a small brokerage in amongst all the large internationals can be recognised for all their achievements,” she says.
Having been in the industry since age 15, Burr has also worked in underwriting but it is the opportunity to help others through broking advice that motivates her most.
“I think to be a good broker you need to be compassionate and have passion for what it is you are doing. You need to treat the client’s business as your own. That’s the position I put myself in every time I speak with a client.”
Earlier this year, Burr was named the Les McInerney Insight Insurance Broker of the Year.
“One of our clients had a loss and the insurers offered half of what the client expected and should have got. We negotiated pretty hard with the insurer to get back up to that level and they were extremely happy.”
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Simon Kennedy
Client Manager
Aon
In 10 years with Aon, Simon Kennedy has had no shortage of variety.
Starting in Adelaide, he has also enjoyed stints in Darwin and Brisbane, each time learning to build working relationships with people in very different business cultures.
“I’ve had that great experience of being able to network and get to meet different
people throughout Australia,” he says. “I’ve had some great opportunities working with some of our top flagship accounts with Aon. In Brisbane I worked as one of the primary team members on a top five account globally for Aon which was a great opportunity to learn and develop myself and meet people.”
Kennedy has also gained attention for his work in building relationships between the insurance industry and the wider community, getting involved with community associations and sporting groups.
“One of our clients had a loss and the insurers offered half of what the client expected and should have got. We negotiated pretty hard with the insurer to get back up to that level and they were extremely happy.”
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
David Clarke
Account Manager, Corporate and Speciality
OAMPS Gault Armstrong
After becoming OAMPS Gault Armstrong’s youngest ever account manager aged just 21, David Clarke has always been set on achieving his big ambitions. Specialising in the marine market, Clarke has already developed a wide-ranging book of clients, including at an international level.
He says he always aims to be a trusted adviser rather than a salesman.
“It was a big learning curve for me a client came and said ‘Can you help me? I’ve got to have a meeting with a major oil and gas company’,” he says.
“It was their senior leadership team, internal legal counsel, their finance senior manager and a few others on one side of the table and just me and my client on the other.
“Not only did we secure what we needed to secure (an amendment to the contract), the client won the contract and it was the biggest contract of his career. It was me as a professional providing advice more so than me flogging a product or me talking about an exposure that is not currently insured.
“It was so inspiring.”