The Insurance Coffee House Insurance Search

“Culture is mission critical in this space. We are a people business, we're professional services”, says Derek. “Our messaging really is people first.”
Derek shares his career route from the non-profit sector to the insurance industry.  Following roles with Chubb and Aon, he joined Epic in 2013 as Chief Strategy Officer and says, “I really wanted to join an organization in growth mode. My job was to drive profitable growth”
Highlighting Galway Holdings’ structure and the growth trajectory the business has been on, Derek discusses growing organically and through M&A activity and its impact on values and culture as the team has grown from 300-4000 employees.
“Our goal is to double the size of our firm over the next 5-7 years. The market conditions are pretty challenging in some ways but we are laser focused on profitable organic growth.”
Derek highlights building DE&I in to the fabric of the business, identifying talent from diverse communities and the importance of training leaders as the business expands.
“Our organization and our operating companies, we are seeking diverse talent. We have to make sure that our leadership is ready to embrace and invest in diverse talent and culturally, once people join the firm, we have to really back up everything that we say on the recruiting side.”
For senior executives seeking to join a business like Galway, Derek advises them to be prepared, operate with passion, desire and establish their professional messaging and differentiation.
Derek counsels hiring managers or recruitment leaders to think outside of the box when it comes to attracting the best talent.  
“Ask people questions more than just work, try to get a feel for who they are. What is their drive or what is their motivator?"
Derek concludes by advising fellow leaders to pay it forward.
“Treat people like you want to be treated. If you wanted opportunities when you were young, provide opportunities. If you were a benefit of mentoring, mentor people. It's a new day. We're dealing with people that have had different experiences. We've got to figure out how to lead in a new way.”
Find out more about Galway Holdings and its growing brands here or connect with Derek Thomas on LinkedIn.
The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is hosted by Nick Hoadley, CEO, Insurance Search, the Executive Search Consultancy for growing Insurance and Insurtech businesses around the globe.
To discuss identifying & attracting the very best talent to your team or being a podcast guest, reach out to Nick via nick.hoadley@insurance-search.com
Copyright Insurance Search 2023 – All Rights Reserved.    

“There is definitely a supply and demand issue with talent. Even if you're all that and everything more, you don't have 20 people to choose from”, says Tony.
“When we find someone, the message is, we need to move. It’s not sacrificing quality for haste but always having haste.”
Tony shares his journey from tech and publishing in to his first insurance role with MetLife before eventually joining Westfield Speciality as employee number 2.
He describes his involvement in shaping the culture, mission and values as well as being part of Westfield’s 175 year history
Highlighting his approach to HR, Tony says, ““HR is marketing. You’re marketing the company, the opportunity, the leadership, the vision. You have to understand everything that leads to that.”
Tony discusses growing the US business, the recent acquisition of Lloyd’s Syndicate 1200 and the initiatives Westfield have in place for career development and retaining A-player talent.  
He shares his advice for senior leaders at interview, emphasising how “curiosity wins the day.”
Tony talks about the tools Westfield use for talent acquisition and reveals the one lesson his job has taught him that he wants everyone else to know.
He stresses the importance of networking and getting to know what talent is out there.
“Be visible. Be comfortable playing outside your lane.”
Connect with Tony Chimera on LinkedIn or find out more about Westfield Specialty Insurance
The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is hosted by Nick Hoadley, CEO, Insurance Search, the Executive Search Consultancy for growing Insurance and Insurtech businesses around the globe.
To discuss identifying & attracting the very best talent to your team or being a podcast guest, reach out to Nick via nick.hoadley@insurance-search.com
Copyright Insurance Search 2023 – All Rights Reserved.    

“It's important that we're a part of that bottom line and at the end of the year, meet those business goals” says Alisa as she discusses managing and building an internal recruitment team.
Alisa describes her journey in to recruitment and joining the insurance industry, which she initially perceived to be ‘boring, slow and old’.
Now managing a team of 13 recruiters and adding over 1800 team members to the AmTrust headcount in 2022, Alisa shares the fast-paced, entrepreneurial spirit and competitive culture at the Forbes-listed ‘Top 100 Private Companies in the US.’
Alisa highlights the key role the internal recruitment function can play in working alongside senior leaders to support the growth of the varied business functions, as well as the characteristics she looks for when recruiting.
“You have to be scrappy. You have to be flexible, things are changing all the time. You have to be able to pivot and jump into a different line of business.”
Giving her advice to incoming executives coming for interview, Alisa says, “Know our strengths but also know our weaknesses. Know and highlight that one thing that the position or the company might be missing.”
Sharing the tools AmTrust use when recruiting, Alisa also encourages those seeking to recruit A-player talent to alter the way they think about and approach talent.  
“It's really important to change that mindset from ‘culture fit’ to ‘culture add’. That's when you're going to get a high performing team.”
Connect with Alisa Sohn on LinkedIn or find out more about AmTrust Financial
The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is hosted by Nick Hoadley, CEO, Insurance Search, the Executive Search Consultancy for growing Insurance and Insurtech businesses around the globe.
To discuss identifying & attracting the very best talent to your team or being a podcast guest, reach out to Nick via nick.hoadley@insurance-search.com
Copyright Insurance Search 2023 – All Rights Reserved.    

“A large majority of our talent is in the fourth quarter of their career innings”, says Nidhi Verma. “We want to have a very strategic workforce management approach towards buying and building our talent profile.”
Nidhi discusses her journey from consulting roles to joining Crawford & Company in 2014, where she oversees the talent lifecycle and ESG strategy at the largest publicly listed claims management organisation.
Following a ninth quarter of top line growth, Nidhi highlights how Crawford is buying and building talent to address the challenge of an ageing workforce.         
“On the buying side, we are tapping into newer pools, looking at different segments, a younger workforce, diverse set of workforce.
But on the building side, we are making significant investment in ensuring that we have people who have the skills that are necessary for being successful today and tomorrow.” 
With the business touching the lives of claimants on one of their worst days, Nidhi shares how Crawford is investing in 3 key vectors:
Technical AND human skillsThe Essential Every and Vital FewThe Mighty Middle
She emphasizes how relational skills underpin the culture and values at Crawford and advises fellow HR leaders to focus on the combination of competence and character when recruiting for talent.
“Create an interview and assessment process to identify individuals who would be the most successful and thrive in the culture. Competence can be commoditised but character is pure gold.”
Nidhi concludes by encouraging us to invest in our personal growth every single day.
“Growth is the only guarantee that people have a better tomorrow.”
Connect with Nidhi Verma on LinkedIn or find out more about Crawford & Company
The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is hosted by Nick Hoadley, CEO, Insurance Search, the Executive Search Consultancy for growing Insurance and Insurtech businesses around the globe.
To discuss identifying & attracting the very best talent to your team or being a podcast guest, reach out to Nick via nick.hoadley@insurance-search.com
Copyright Insurance Search 2023 – All Rights Reserved.    

“We should definitely be expanding and looking critically at where we're attracting talent from”, says Caryn.
“But we also need to be extremely deliberate, thoughtful and intentional in terms of our talent development opportunities.”
Caryn shares her transition from law to joining Tokio Marine’s relatively small U.S. operation back in 2001.
“In many respects, the size [in 2001] was a great training ground for me because it was part of such a larger global entity.”
Caryn discusses how hybrid working models allow her to balance her roles of CHRO & Chief Legal Officer at TMNA Services and Global Deputy Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Tokio Marine Group.
“It's not that there are more hours in the day but fewer hours commuting that can be spent to greater purposes.”
Highlighting how the philosophy and structure of Tokio Marine Group is impacting diversity and inclusion around the globe, Caryn says,
"Everyone understands what our mission and vision is with respect to diversity and inclusion. We then ask them to take those principles and tell us how in their cultural context, they are going to move the ball forward. An area of particular focus in one country or company for diversity and inclusion efforts may not make a lot of sense in another.”
Caryn discusses changing the current insurance talent profile, addressing unconscious biases and the importance of sincerity at levels of the organization.
She shares her advice for other HR leaders looking to hire exceptional talent.
"We have had a habit in the insurance industry of going to our tried and true sources. We need to sell our value proposition to folks both in university, recent graduates and those who maybe mid-level in their career, but not loving what they're doing.”
Connect with Caryn Angelson on LinkedIn or find out more about Tokio Marine North America Services
The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is hosted by Nick Hoadley, CEO, Insurance Search, the Executive Search Consultancy for growing Insurance and Insurtech businesses around the globe.
To discuss identifying & attracting the very best talent to your team or being a podcast guest, reach out to Nick via nick.hoadley@insurance-search.com
Copyright Insurance Search 2023 – All Rights Reserved.    

“To change it for the long run you have to really invest in people much, much earlier,” says Kristin.
“It doesn't necessarily mean that if you're [studying to be] an accountant, you have to go to one of the big four. You can go to an insurance company.”
Following in her mother’s footsteps, Kristin shares her HR career journey from NYC-based hedge fund to private equity before joining Transverse Insurance Group in 2022.
A common theme running throughout her career has been a passion for engaging with and attracting younger people from a diversity of lifestyles and backgrounds.
Kristin highlights how Transverse have built as effective internship program to attract younger people to insurance, allowing them to see the breadth of opportunity in the industry.
“You have to be a presence out and about. You have to be making them aware of what you do and how they could benefit from an internship. It gives them baseline experience”
She emphasizes how a diversity of interviewers equates to a wider variety of candidates.
“If a candidate sees somebody that looks like them, they're more much more likely to continue that process.”
Kristin discusses passion, the need for flexibility and being part of a smaller, more nimble organization.
“There's times I get pulled into things that are not necessarily HR-related. It helps me understand the business and helps the firm grow.”
Connect with Kristin Cubberly on LinkedIn or find out more about Transverse Insurance Group
The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is hosted by Nick Hoadley, CEO, Insurance Search, the Executive Search Consultancy for growing Insurance and Insurtech businesses around the globe.
To discuss identifying & attracting the very best talent to your team or being a podcast guest, reach out to Nick via nick.hoadley@insurance-search.com
Copyright Insurance Search 2023 – All Rights Reserved.