We’re happy to announce the appointment of our new Head Of People, Donna Smith!

Donna joins us having spent over 12 years in Human Resources and looking after over 1,000 colleagues in previous roles. We sat down with her to find out more about her career to date, her life and what she wants to achieve at Broker Direct!

We can’t wait to work with her and help our amazing employees maximise their potential.

Tell us about your background, career to date and why you wanted to become our Head Of People.

I joined the retail sector whilst studying at college, which turned into a 24-year careers with a large company. Having worked my way through an abundance of management training programs and performing in several senior management roles, I moved into the Human Resources team 12 years ago. Whilst there I assumed various roles including Personnel Manager, Group People Manager and most recently as Group People Business Partner where I looked after more than 1,000 colleagues and achieved my CIPD qualification.

The opportunity to join the team as Head Of People is really exciting! The business has a real, strong heartbeat with a team who are dedicated and passionate about what they do. There is a real team ethos to strive for excellence and this is a key motivator for me personally.

What qualities do you have that you believe will make your time at Broker Direct a success?

I have an extensive HR background and have always been part of a high performing team. I have a real passion and strong legacy for unlocking high performance and capability by working closely with stakeholders to develop and coach teams, while implementing policies and procedures in line with the ACAS Code of Conduct. I am naturally curious and challenge management teams’ ways of achieving business goals.

What are Broker Direct’s biggest strengths right now?

A great team who are passionate about what they do, the people they work with and the customers they serve.

What do you want to achieve in the short and long-term at Broker Direct?

My overall goal is to help make Broker Direct a great place to work, understand the barriers to high performance and use my skills to support the team to be the best they can be.

Do you have a message for our brokers, partners and employees as you assume the role?

I have an open-door policy and am keen to meet everyone, including those working at home. So if you are around or free, please say hello!

What are your main hobbies and interests away from work?

In my spare time I love to make memories; you will rarely see me sat down in front of the TV. I am always doing something which generally involves family friends and often food with the odd gin. I have a dog who keeps me active along with my two teenage children.

Thanks for taking the time to talk, Donna. We wish you every success with us here at Broker Direct!

The post Meet Our New Head of People appeared first on Broker Direct Plc.

Changes are afoot across all businesses right now and Broker Direct is no different. Iain Gray has been appointed as our new CEO and has been fully endorsed by our Board and retiring CEO, Terry Stanley.

Iain is a passionate and skilled operator, so we sat down with him to find out more about the man and his vision for the company.

Tell us about your background, career to date and why you wanted to become our CEO.

I fell into my first job after graduating because it was convenient to where I was living at the time. Initially I worked on the life and pensions side of financial services whilst my employer sponsored me to qualify as a chartered accountant. Soon after I qualified, I was approached by a direct-writer and switched over to general insurance as the Financial Controller. In 1994 I was approached by Andrew Paddick, the Director General of the Institute of Insurance Brokers who had a vision to set up Broker Direct, an insurer the brokers could call their own. I joined in 1995 and we spent the next couple of years getting the financial backing and insurer capacity to finally launch the business in 1997, from when I have been the Group Finance Director & Company Secretary.

I’ve wanted to be the CEO for some years, but of course that first required a vacancy. I have a deep understanding of the business and to coin a phrase, have significant ‘skin in the game’, so when Terry decided to retire and the Board asked me to take on the role, I readily accepted.

As one of Broker Direct’s founders, how do you think your time at the company will make your leadership a success?

We’ve taken risks and some haven’t panned out as we wished but I’ve learnt from those mistakes. I don’t intend to make the same mistakes twice, I know what makes us successful and will continue to take calculated risks in the areas that we excel.

What are Broker Direct’s biggest strengths right now?

Our people and our technology are what makes us unique and valued by our partners.

What are your short and long term visions for the company?

To have longevity, we must constantly invest in our people and our technology. In the short term that means modernising our people practices and automation, in particular those manual activities that are repetitive, predictable and mundane. In this way, we can give our staff more interesting and varied roles.

We will continue to be agile and nimble into the longer term, adapting as the market evolves.

Do you have a message for our brokers and partners as you assume the role?

We understand our role and are very good at what we do. To stay current and competitive, it is my intention to leverage our solid foundation of IT infrastructure and the expertise of our people to nurture our current relationships and attract new ones.

What are your main hobbies and interests away from work?

Down time generally involves exercise and socialising. The years have taken their toll on my joints so distance running is out, but I still play Sunday league veterans football and cycle extensively. The exercise is especially rewarding after the match or ride, at the pub with my friends.

Tell us something not many people will know about you.

In 2019, I cycled 1100 miles from Lands End to John O Groats, raising £12,000 for Breast Cancer Now in memory of my sister.

Thank you for taking the time to sit with us and we wish you every success in your new role. Congratulations!

The post Meet Our New CEO appeared first on Broker Direct Plc.

Our Christmas Opening Hours for 2019

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Can you believe it’s come around again so quickly? Like many offices, we won’t be open for the entirety of December, but don’t worry, we’re still here for all our brokers’ needs over the festive season. Have a look below for our Christmas opening hours:

*Please note that our claim notification lines stay open 24 hours a day for 365 days a year!

From everyone at Broker Direct Plc.

Have a very Merry Christmas and an amazing New Year!

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