Loss adjusting network ANA has restructured the board after the original founder won a competitive bid against the five other shareholders.
Managing director Jaye Kumar has appointed Brian Treloar to state manager and coordinator for NSW, Victoria and Tasmania; Mike Pagels takes up a similar position for Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory; and Keith Patterson will oversee Queensland.
Kumar said the restructure created opportunities for more members to come on board. He also indicated further changes to strengthen management, with additional state representatives about to be announced.
“We are in the final stages of negotiation with several people we were really keen to have involved, but could not accommodate under the previous structure,” Kumar said.
Kumar founded ANA in 2000 as an alternative to the big adjuster models. It is a network of over 30 independent loss adjusting firms, with state and national management, systems and quality control.
Kumar owned 50% of the business, while the other five members owned 50% between them. When the shareholders did ot agree on the strategic direction of the business, they agreed that one shareholder should buy it. They engaged in a competitive bidding process which Kumar won.
The ANA restructure was managed in a matter of two weeks, via the fast-track method of a voluntary liquidation. Kumar said: “ANA was solvent and profitable, so in management terms this was a fairly bold move, but I took it because I was sure it would minimise any disruption to client services and avoid a long period of uncertainty.
“We achieved that; there has been no disruption and there will be no disruption to clients. In the final analysis, it was very successful. ”
Kumar recommends the approach to other companies needing to restructure in order to improve client services. “I think a key to its success was that we were transparent about the process. Clients were informed and service continuity guaranteed.”
