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Ian Rouse, Executive Director, Ironshore Australia talks about private planes, the soft market and Van Halen.
Why insurance?
A lot of insurance is essentially problem solving, which I enjoy. Every day brings something different.
How would you sum up insurance brokers in three words?
Pro-active, adaptable, persistent
How would you change the industry?
Increase awareness and use of syndication in the Australian market. Especially for harder to place risks.
What’s the most important thing a broker can do to develop their business?
Be responsive, think laterally. Put the client first.
What is the strangest thing you’ve ever arranged cover for?
Probably insuring private aeroplanes against confiscation in emerging markets.
If you were Prime Minister for one day, what would you do?
Change the election cycle for the House to four or five years....three seems too short to get much done before the campaigning starts again.
What’s the biggest challenge facing the industry today?
The soft market conditions and continued entry of new capital.
What has been the highlight of your career?
Developing Political Risk, Structured Credit and Marine lines with Ironshore in Australia.
NRL, AFL, soccer or other?
It used to be soccer but I eventually gave up on Spurs and switched to AFL....go the Swans!
If you could invite three people to dinner, dead or alive, and excluding family and friends, who would they be and why?
Clive James - I loved his shows when I was growing up - a brilliant, dry sense of humour.
Admiral Nelson - It would have been great to have seen the golden age of sailing. He was such a flamboyant character - I expect he would have some tall stories, too.
Eddie Van Halen - Loud 80s guitar music is a guilty pleasure. In my opinion he was the best of the bunch.
