Carl Rajendram, national manager commercial pricing and analytics, NZI wants the global brand to include NZ in its insurance plans to really shake up the industry.
Why did you get into insurance?
I obtained a degree in Actuarial Science and at the time the only jobs on offer were with life insurance companies so that’s how it all started. I’ve been in insurance ever since and I love working with the great team at NZI.
How would you sum up insurance brokers in three words?
Friend and partner
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever arranged cover for?
A while back I was asked by a government department to set up a system that could provide personal accident insurance cover for illegal immigrants.
How would you change the industry?
I’d invite Google to include New Zealand in their plans for Google Insurance. I believe that data companies like Google can offer enhanced customer value and innovation because of the rich data and analytics that they have on their customers.
What’s the most important thing brokers and insurers can do to improve their relationship?
Having more data driven discussions centred on our customers and how we can make their world a safer place.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Love thy neighbour as thyself.
If you were Prime Minister for one day, what would you do?
Change the flag.
What has been the highlight of your career?
Developing a pricing and analytics system for 55 insurance companies and integrating it with more than 300 point-of-sale systems. It’s good to have on the cv.
What’s your favoured style of coffee?
Iced coffee with condensed milk (not your standard coffee shop offering)
Union, league, soccer or other?
Union
If you could invite three people to dinner, dead or alive, and excluding family and friends, who would they be and why?
Bill Gates – to ask him what it’s like to spend your life giving money away.
Donald Trump – to see if he really takes himself seriously!
Jeff Bezos – to find out how an online bookstore turned into a trillion dollar industry of everything.
If you weren’t working in insurance what would you be doing?
I’d be on a beach sipping a mojito!
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