Simon Helm, branch manager at Rothbury, Tauranga wants to spread the message to the younger generation that an insurance career can be fun.
Why did you get into insurance?
Like most by chance, I qualified as an IFA in the UK and then when I moved to NZ a broker position became available in the Mount.
Working there for 6 years gaining valuable experience then the fantastic opportunity to manage the Rothbury Tauranga office came along 3 years ago.
How would you sum up insurance brokers in three words?
Conscientious client focused.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever arranged cover for?
Nothing too bizarre, a Goldie painting in transit from Auckland Art Museum down the road to a gallery.
Back in the UK I did insure some offshore vessels laying underground cabling in the North Sea for what at the time seemed a huge premium.
How would you change the industry?
Make it more appealing to the younger generation, they don’t know how much fun it can be, introducing technological advances to streamline systems and provide info, the Rothbury App being a great example.
What’s the most important thing a broker can do to develop their business?
Develop their skills, knowledge and relationships and to keep on moving forward.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Value yourself and if you’re standing still you’re actually going backwards.
If you were Prime Minister for one day, what would you do?
Increase family tax credits and introduce a reduced working week, maybe officially finishing up after lunch on a Friday.
What has been the highlight of your career?
Meeting and learning from some truly great experienced colleagues and trying to pass on what I’ve learnt.
What’s your favoured style of coffee?
Trim flat white with 1 sugar please, very boring I know.
Union, league, soccer or other?
Born in England and still playing so it has to be soccer (sorry football for the diehard English amongst us).
If you could invite three people to dinner, dead or alive, and excluding family and friends, who would they be and why?
Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool FC Legend),
Bob Marley (still relevant today),
Winston Churchill, sorry not very kiwi of me.
Complete this sentence: If I wasn’t in insurance, I would be…
Ruling midfield and winning the Premiership with Liverpool FC.
