Why did you get into insurance?
I basically fell into it, a friend was working for State Insurance and seemed to enjoy it so instead of doing a physiotherapy degree for 5 years, insurance seemed like an interesting job.
How would you sum up insurance brokers in three words?
Client, advocate, champion
How would you change the industry?
I would have insurance companies thinking more about their clients who are paying the premiums rather than their shareholders.
What’s the most important thing a broker can do to develop their business?
In today’s environment have a strong online presence and offer your clients the best possible service – go the extra mile. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
- Always tell the truth
- Don’t eat yellow snow
If you were Prime Minister for one day, what would you do?
Remove GST on food, make New Zealand smoke free and create a public holiday called NZ Day.
What has been the highlight of your career?
Becoming a director of Lowe Schollum & Jones Ltd.
What’s your favoured style of coffee?
Flat white
Union, league, soccer or other?
Test matches – Union, NRL for a weekly watch. Test match cricket.
If you could invite three people to dinner, dead or alive, and excluding family and friends, who would they be and why?
Jim Morrison, Tiger Woods and Jessica Alba. Jim to get the party going, Tiger to give me golf lessons and Jessica just because. It would certainly be an interesting night.
Complete this sentence: If I wasn’t in insurance, I would be…
Either a fishing guide or a physiotherapist.
