Craig Taylor, head of property,
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance talks about public awareness of the industry, the challenges of the future and the mountains.
Why insurance?
Like a lot of people in the industry, I fell into insurance, however I had family that worked in insurance and their influence was positive and it made me excited about what a career in insurance could offer.
How would you change the industry?
Improve public awareness of the role the insurance industry plays in economies and develop stronger learning and development paths for experienced and qualified insurance practitioners.
What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?
There is a big difference between “nothing wrong with it” and “everything right with it”.
What’s the most important thing a broker can do to develop their business?
Be in touch with their customers’ industry and identify and respond to the changing environments. The world is changing at a rapid pace, so responding to those changes will create opportunity around added value initiatives whilst still delivering on core competencies. If clients think you’re at the top of the game, they will recommend you to peers.
If you were Prime Minister for one day, what would you do?
If only a day, knowing that I return to work in the insurance industry….I’d abolish levies and taxes on insurance.
What’s the biggest challenge facing the industry today?
The biggest challenge today, is tomorrow. We are in a competitive environment and cycles come and go, but attracting talent and developing talent is a challenge we face today that has a major impact.
What has been the highlight of your career?
There have been many, from the grass roots entry back in NZ, to being part of a new team in a growing a successful portfolio, to my current role. Overall – for me it’s not one single event but the people I have met along the whole journey, and importantly, the many friendships.
What’s your favoured style of coffee?
Strong Skim Flat White, please.
NRL, AFL, soccer or other?
Rugby Union!!
If you could invite three people to dinner, dead or alive, and excluding family and friends, who would they be and why?
Keith Moon, Jimi Hendrix, Freddie Mercury….sometimes we just need to sit back and enjoy ourselves.
Complete this sentence: If I wasn’t in insurance, I would be…
...Outdoors in the mountains.
