Aventum World - Issue 3 (Spring)

WORLD

WORLD THIRD EDITION l SPRING 2022 FIRST EDITION l JULY 2021

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CONTENTS Welcome to the third edition of Aventum World 03 MESSAGE FROM OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 04 WELCOME TO OUR NEW STARTERS 16 WORK OUT WHILE WORKING 18 THE PERFORMANCE COACH 20 GROUP NEWS 26 CORE TEAM NEWS 28 NEWS IN BRIEF

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BIG HAPPY FAMILY

Once again we’ve had a another fast start to the year, signing capacity deals with new partners and launching in new classes of business to expand the breadth and scale of our global footprint.

It once more falls on me to thank every single one of you for all your relentless hard work that is continually taking us to the next level.

2022 will be our first full year as Aventum Group, but already the wider market has taken notice of the noise we are making. This is helping us to attract some of the most ambitious and talented people in our sector – exactly the type of people we want in our Aventum family.

Welcome to everyone that joined in the first quarter of the year, you’ve joined at a really exciting stage in our growth journey, with many dynamic and innovative stops still ahead of us.

We have a wide array of benefits available to all employees, with two of the most important being the support we provide around mental and physical health. Through the services of Performance Coach Stephen Desborough, and in-house Personal Trainer James Fewtrell, I want Aventum to push the boundaries when it comes to ensuring the wellbeing of staff.

This edition of Aventum World includes feature interviews with Stephen and James, where you can learn more about exactly how they help employees, and how you can get in touch with them to benefit from their expertise. I encourage you all to speak with them if you feel there is anything either can help you with.

The best families listen and communicate, so if there is anything else you think we should be doing to support you, or something we could be doing better, I want you to reach out. There are no bad ideas in this family, and everyone is as important as each other, so don’t ever be afraid to approach me or any other senior figures in the Group with any suggestions.

David Bearman CEO

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WELCOME TO OUR NEW STARTERS We are delighted to have welcomed 25 new starters to the #AventumFamily in the last few months. Read on to find out more about our new recruits.

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READ ON TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR NEW STARTERS...

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If it’s raining outside, use an umbrella.

ALEXANDER GADD UNDERWRITING SERVICES EXECUTIVE What was your work history before joining Aventum?

I was at Bell & Clements in the Transportation and Commercial Property departments as an underwriting administrator.

What do you get up to outside of work?

I enjoy working on cars, learning how different engines work and how to optimise their power outputs.

I also enjoy meeting with friends at car shows or for a drink on the occasional evening.

What foreign languages do you speak?

A few basic words of French!

What’s the one piece of advice you’ve had that has stuck with you?

“If it’s raining outside, use an umbrella”.

ARGEE SANTILLAN SENIOR GROUP REPORTING MANAGER

I bought a house for my family.

What do you get up to outside of work?

I go to the gym 3x a week, watch movies in the cinema and go out with my friends on weekends.

What made you want to join Aventum?

I have joined in a time where Aventum is going through a

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very exciting time and I want to be part of this journey.

What are you most proud of?

I bought a house for my family.

How would your friends describe you?

Easy to get along with but reserved.

If you could pick up a skill instantly what would it be?

Playing guitar.

BRYAN TAYLOR PORTFOLIO MANAGER, EXPONENTIAL

I suppose becoming a grandad at the age of 37 is fairly unusual.

How, when and why did you first get into the insurance industry?

I got into insurance quite late at the old age of 29. I had broken my back and spent 9 months not being able to work. My wife’s friends husband worked for Xchanging and managed to get me a job as a trainee insurance technician. As for why, it was the first office job I managed to get and as soon as I started I understood it and enjoyed it.

Favourite music artist?

Green Day (the early stuff especially).

What was your first job?

Either a paper round or working at the local horse riding stables (both were at age 13 but not sure which came first).

DAN MCCARTHY VICE PRESIDENT ROKSTONE CONSTRUCTION

I was a golf caddie at a local country club for 10 years.

mind, but the relationship with a broker and/or customer is even more important. People want to do business with those they like, but more important, those they trust in order to do a good job for them.

How would your friends describe you?

A genuine leader. I value my friendships more than anything and go the extra mile.

What do you enjoy most about working in insurance?

Insurance challenges you in different ways. Analysing all the factors of an account: broker relationship, venue, operations, risk management approach, claims, etc. are all necessary to underwriting. Not only do you have to have an analytical

EILISH CONBOY ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT/ CREDIT CONTROLLER

At the moment my main focus outside work is completing my course.

What was your work history before joining Aventum?

I have always worked in accounts / finance and I am always eager to advance my knowledge in this sector.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I would like to be well advanced in my role and I feel continuous study will help with that and I would like to become a chartered insurance practitioner.

ELEFTHERIA

PAPADOPOULOU COMPLIANCE MONITORING ANALYST

Don’t forget your origins.

Remember who you are!

What made you want to join Aventum?

Based on the research I’ve done, Aventum is an agile player in its market. When I visited the website and social media account, I found some impressive information on planned future projects. I was also impressed by the founders’ and core management’s background and current financial statements. Aventum is an environment that I envisioned myself to work in as ideas and innovation are valued, listened to, and encouraged.

What was your first job?

I had a part-time job at my family’s bakery when I was ten years old.

Favourite book?

I have a lot in my list. Currently, I’m reading “Klara and the Sun”

by Kazuo Ishiguro.

What’s the one piece of advice you’ve had that has stuck with you?

I have always found “what is meant for you won’t pass you” to be the truest thing to date.

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Adventurous, witty and caring.

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EMAN ALMUSALLI

FREDDY THUMWOOD

JUNIOR PORTFOLIO ASSISTANT (CLAIMS)

I have always wanted to learn about the insurance sector.

What was your work history before joining Aventum?

I worked as an Accountant and bank reconciliation agent in three different companies.

What made you want to join Aventum?

I’m happy to obtain a position that suits my skills and knowledge,

IBA TECHNICIAN

and also helps me to develop these skills in a practical and fast-paced environment where I can prove to be a valuable asset to the organisation.

What do you get up to outside of work?

Gathering with family and friends.

What’s your ideal holiday destination?

Turkey.

I am proud of my strength and patience to reach every goal I set for myself.

What languages do you speak?

English and Arabic.

FATIMA ASAAD PORTFOLIO ASSISTANT What made you want to join Aventum?

It’s an opportunity for growth that aligns with my career goals and fits perfectly with my skill set, and it supports communities which is my personal passion.

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Where do you see yourself in five years?

I see myself as a very independent, and strong individual handling a high position in the company.

Who is the person you admire most and why?

My mother because she sacrifices everything to raise me with pure life principles, she is the apple of my eye.

Favorite film/TV show?

The Pursuit of Happiness.

Aventum seems like a fast moving, proactive company.

What do you get up to outside of work?

I’m a keen rugby player and enjoy going out socialising with friends and family.

What made you want to join Aventum?

Aventum seems like a fast moving, proactive company so starting a new challenge here really appealed to me.

What three people would you invite to dinner?

The three people I’d invite to a dinner party would be Frank Lampard, Ricky Gervais and Elon Musk.

Are you an avid supporter of any sports teams? If so which ones?

I’m a big fan of Chelsea FC and try to go to home and away games every season.

Ideal holiday destination?

Ideal destination would be Bali.

JACK MULLINDER ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Enjoy traveling and also making memories.

GREGORY OXLADE BROKER SERVICES EXECUTIVE

A major pull factor in wanting me to join Aventum was the culture.

What was your work history before joining Aventum?

Before joining Aventum I recently graduated from Queen Mary University of London, where I studied Geography with Business Management.

Following the completion of my studies I undertook a three month internship at a sports networking agency called Premier Sports Network.

How, when and why did you first get into the insurance industry?

I began my insurance career at Aon and my first role came shortly after I finished college.

What excites you most about working for Aventum?

Being part of the ambition and vision ahead.

What was your work history before joining Aventum?

I have worked at Aon between 2013 – 2019 and Ed Broking from 2019 – 2021.

What do you get up to outside of work?

I enjoy keeping active with playing football/golf/gym regularly.

Enjoy watching football regularly.

JOANNE LAMBE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Treat others the way you wish to be treated.

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Honest, outgoing, hard-working.

What was your work history before joining Aventum?

My previous role was at Simply Business where I worked as Technical MGA Manger overseeing the creation and suitability of products, responsible for product governance and fair value product reviews.

If you could pick a skill up instantly what would it be?

Being fluent in a foreign language.

I started my first underwriting job as a package underwriter at Ecclesiastical Insurance.

What are you most proud of?

Playing for Saracens Rugby Academy.

Enjoy traveling and also making memories with family and friends.

What do you get up to out of work?

I’m a bit of a foodie, I love cooking and eating out. I have two teenage children, I taught my daughter to drive last year (it was very scary) and just a few months to recover and then I get to teach my son.

Favourite film/TV show?

Only Fools and Horses.

Favourite book?

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heath Morris.

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JULIA DISS CLAIMS EXECUTIVE

JOHN BEARMAN CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

What made you want to join Aventum?

I wanted to be a part of and contribute to an ambitious and growing company.

Pigeon Insurance… Im slowly learning all the acronyms!

What do you get up to outside of work?

I’m a real lover of the ‘great

What was your work history before joining Aventum?

A global macro trader/investor for the last 20 years.

KYLE JOHNSON

What do you get up to outside of work?

Chauffer to my children and chief mechanic (all thumbs) for my son and his go kart.

What made you want to join Aventum?

Its family values.

What are you most proud of?

My children.

I first got into insurance through my dad who has been in the industry for many years.

Are you an avid supporter of any sports teams? If so which ones?

The underdog, they always pull through.

What was your first job?

Morning paper round for five years.... I must be a slow learner.

What made you want to join Aventum?

I wanted to join Aventum because

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What’s your ideal holiday destination?

So many places!!! I really want to travel South East Asia.

BROKER SERVICES EXECUTIVE

What do you get up to outside of work?

I play football at the weekends.

Socialise with my friends. Go to watch football matches. Gym.

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outdoors’ and enjoy getting out in to nature. Equally, I like to socialise with friends and can’t resist a glass (bottle) of wine.

Also spending time with family, in particular my baby nephew who I dote on.

it is a fast growing company with big ambitions ahead of them.

Favourite film/TV show?

Prison Break.

Are you an avid supporter of any sports teams? If so which ones?

I am a huge Chelsea fan.

Favourite music artist?

My favourite artists are the Arctic Monkeys.

LEE RAIKES BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Just be yourself and don’t change!

Manchester City and having a few beers to relax whilst listening to Oasis!

Living or dead, which three people would you invite to your ideal dinner party?

The Gallagher brothers and John Lennon.

How would your friends describe you?

Loyal.

What was your work history before joining Aventum?

I have been in the Lloyd’s and London market for 15 years holding various broking and underwriting roles.

CLAIMS EXECUTIVE

The dynamism of the business and the work ethic.

BROKER SERVICES EXECUTIVE

I’ve trained in various forms of martial arts since the age of 7.

What do you get up to outside of work?

Train in martial arts, watch sports, snowboarding and generally socialising with friends.

What do you get up to outside of work?

Coaching and watching rugby, playing golf, supporting

LUKE GOULDING

LUKE MORGAN

What do you get up to outside of work?

I write standup comedy and ski.

How, when and why did you first get into the insurance industry?

I got in through friends and family about six years ago, I got in because I wanted to work with those people.

Living or dead, which three people would you invite to your ideal dinner party?

Elon Musk, Churchill & Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

What do you enjoy most about the insurance industry?

As I am just starting my career I am sure there are many more things that I will enjoy but what intrigues me the most is working in a team to make sure that goals and deadlines are met.

Are you an avid supporter of any sports teams? If so which ones?

I watch a lot of sports but the only team I could be categorised as an avid supporter of is Liverpool FC. I’ve supported them my whole life and try to watch every game I can.

What are you most proud of?

I am proud of my little sister who just graduated and started working.

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I am very proud that I am Bahraini.

What do you get up to outside of work?

Sport, cooking, meeting friends and spending time with family.

MARYAM

AL-QAIDOOM PORTFOLIO ASSISTANT ROKSTONE AVIATION What made you want to join Aventum?

I joined Rokstone as it was an opportunity for me to be a part of growing a company and to work closely with company leaders.

What do you enjoy most about working in insurance?

Meeting with likeminded people and travel.

Who is the person you admire most and why?

Oprah Winfrey – she has made her own name (Trademark) and overcome obstacles to achieve her goals.

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Ambitious, energetic, reliable.

MOLLY BRAZIER

What was your work history before joining Aventum?

I worked in IBA accounts previously at a large insurance broker dealing primarily with reinsurance business.

What do you get up to outside of work?

I love fashion and shopping, if I have any spare time I will likely 12

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SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Best thing about working in the insurance industry is the social element.

What was your work history before joining Aventum?

Arthur J Gallagher for two years working on large UK D+C Contractors and THB Group for just over three years working on and growing a US Architect and Engineers book.

UNDERWRITING SERVICES EXECUTIVE

I liked the company’s attitude towards personal development.

NICK BIRD

be at Lakeside or Westfield, or online shopping!

Are you an avid supporter of any sports teams? If so which ones?

My boyfriend and my dad would not be pleased with me if I didn’t answer West Ham. Favourite film/TV show?

Modern Family.

Red sauce, brown sauce?

Red – I put it on everything!

What do you get up to outside of work?

Play football/golf and going out with friends.

Living or dead, which three people would you invite to your ideal dinner party?

Maradona, Will Ferrell and Conor McGregor.

Are you an avid supporter of any sports teams? If so which ones?

Massive Arsenal fan.

NIKKI HARBARD BORDEREAUX TECHNICIAN

I enjoy learning and absorbing new information.

and a bit of a challenge - as a growing company they offered just this.

What languages do you speak?

I speak very little Spanish.

Who is the person you admire most and why?

I admire my mum. She is she is a strong individual who never ceases to amaze me with her strength.

I’ve broken over a dozen bones.

I worked for AIG for 22.5 years and HSBC Insurance for 12.5 years.

What do you enjoy most about working in insurance?

Everyday is a different challenge.

What made you want to join Aventum?

I joined Aventum as I was looking for a different direction

CREDIT CONTROL TECHNICIAN

IBA TECHNICIAN

What do you get up to outside of work?

I like cooking and I like the National Trust.

What do you get up to outside of work?

I enjoy walking spending time with family – socialising – I have a wide circle of good friends.

REBECCA ALLIX

ROSEMARIE WISE

What have you enjoyed most about your career up until now?

The people I have met.

What made you want to join Aventum?

Ali hunted me down.

What excites you most about working for Aventum?

Progression.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Hopefully settled in a job I enjoy that keeps me challenged.

What’s the one piece of advice you’ve had that has stuck with you?

Be yourself.

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Honest, reliable and compassionate.

Red sauce, brown sauce?

Brown (HP) Sauce.

Who is the person you admire most and why?

Mother, she thought the best in everyone.

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Sarcastic, realistic, honest.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Height. I’d love to be not as short.

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SHANNEN GROGAN

What languages do you speak?

I took Japanese all through high school but unfortunately I now only speak English.

CLAIMS ADMINISTRATOR

What are you most proud of?

Moving from New Zealand to the UK solo when I was 22. It took a lot of courage and was terrifying.

The company appealed to me due to its fast growing success and reputation.

What made you want to join Aventum?

The company appealed to me due to its fast growing success and reputation and the prospect of future opportunities.

Work history before joining Aventum?

Customer Retention Team Leader for 2.5 years at a local car insurance company based in Romford.

What you get up to outside of work?

Gym, brunches with friends, watching films.

Who you admire most and why?

My friend Jess. She often works 7 days a week for the NHS and as a private physiotherapist, as well as looks after her home and is a great wife and friend. She is constantly looking after everyone and putting others first.

Favourite film?

Dirty Dancing, no question.

AVENTUM’S FIRST WELL-BEING EVENT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED FOR THE WEEKEND OF 14TH / 15TH MAY. GET READY TO SCALE OBSTACLES, GET MUDDY AND JOIN AN AVENTUM TEAM OVER A TRAIL RUN IN BRENTWOOD, ESSEX.

NUCLEAR-RACES.CO.UK

VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES #AventumFamily

We are delighted to announce that it will now be easier than ever for everyone in the Aventum family to make use of their two annual volunteering days, thanks to our recent partnership with onHand.

COVERAGE

HOW DOES IT WORK?

By downloading the onHand app to your mobile, it will allow you to see people nearby (maybe even on your street) who might need a helping hand with really simple things.

We get to plant trees for every team member, every month. We will plant in some of the highest impact regions, supporting global farming communities and vast swathes of wildlife.

You can choose what types of volunteering missions you’d like to take on, which might include activities and causes you care about, such as food shopping for vulnerable people, befriending phone calls, dog walking, gardening, environmental activities, youth mentoring, and lots more.

Through onHand, we will be supporting two amazing organisations to plant trees across the globe.

The Eden Reforestations Project – supporting mangrove reforestation projects to protect and increase important biodiversity in Mozambique and Madagascar

Some missions are ongoing and some are one-offs. It’s completely up to you what you choose and how much you want to do.

The Eco Power Initiative – helping rural and indigenous communities and Nicaragua make their own clean, renewable, non-toxic energy by planting castor trees

REASONS TO GET INVOLVED: At Aventum, we want everyone to feel part of a great big community-spirited family. And that extends outside of your working life too!

There are all kinds of benefits from volunteering: It’ll make you feel great There’s research proving that volunteering can help to boost your mental health and wellbeing Doing a simple act of kindness for someone in need can increase your self-esteem and give you a more positive outlook on life!

It’s flexible. You can choose opportunities to help whenever suits you. You can even fit a mission into your lunch break - it only takes half an hour to brighten someone’s day

HELPING THE PLANET WITH ONHAND As well as helping in the local community, our partnership with onHand extends to helping the planet. Through onHand our aim is to grow an Aventum forest and take bigger steps towards helping with the climate crisis.

AVENTUM GROUP LTD – TREE COUNT You’ll be able to see how many trees we have planted in our Aventum forest via our very own onHand dashboard. Here we will keep you updated on how close we are to our next tree being planted so you can see how your local impact increases your impact globally.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED: 1.

Download the App and sign up using your work email.

2. Find requests for onHanders local to you.

3. Accept a mission.

4. Do one small thing that can make a big difference.

SCAN ME AND GET INVOLVED

WORKING OUT WHILE WORKING Meet James Fewtrell – our in-house personal trainer looking to keep the entire Aventum family fighting fit.

The benefits of exercise, and keeping physically fit and healthy, are well-known.

Finding time in the busy working week to pull yourself away from the computer and do a workout, though, is something many struggle with.

That’s why at Aventum we have our own personal trainer on staff, so people can set aside time in the week for a workout with him, either in-person a few minutes from the London office, or virtually.

James Fewtrell has been the dedicated personal trainer of Aventum staff for over a year and half, and in May last year finally became an official member of the Aventum family.

“I love the sense of belonging,” he says of why he chose to go in-house with Aventum. “As a personal trainer you are a bit of a lone wolf, but with Aventum I feel the support. People are driving

it from the inside and driving people towards me.”

James had actually been training our Group CEO David Bearman when the two of them came up with the unique idea of having a personal trainer in-house, and the benefits it would bring.

The benefit has certainly proved popular. Experiencing high demand, he has this year upped his number of training sessions to 32 across Tuesday-Friday, with Monday used for virtual sessions, and to plan out new events or seminars.

He held his first nutrition seminars earlier this year, and in May will take around 40 brave staff on the Group’s first ‘big’ fitness event, as they take on the 12k Nuclear Races course – a race resembling Tough Mudder, full of obstacles, mud, and fun! (there’s still time to sign up if you want to take part!)

“This role is just super unique,” James says. “I’ve been working in this industry for 14 years and I’ve never come across anyone

doing what I do, so it’s a little bit of a trailblaze in that regard, and I’m loving every minute.”

The aim for James is just to keep branching out, involving more and more people each year. While his PT sessions are in high demand, especially Tuesday-Thursday, he is always available to give advice on what workout regimes people should be doing to reach their fitness goals, or what foods they should be eating.

“The main thing is I need to know your end goal,” James says.

“Make it tangible, and then we can work towards it throughout the year. It’s all very bespoke to the individual. By knowing what you want to achieve I can give you the right exercises, and it also gives you a target to aim at.”

The main message is don’t be afraid to reach out. James can be contacted either by calling 07881 295 073, or email

james.fewtrell@aventumgroup.com

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STEVE DESBOROUGH

THE PER FOR MANCE COACH

The last couple of years have posed challenges to us all the likes of which many of us have never seen before.

Coping with the stresses and strains brought on by COVID-19 has been difficult for many – both in their home and working lives.

important mental health and wellbeing is in the workplace.”

Recognising innate wellbeing, and having clarity of thought, allows people to be less affected by their own mind, he says.

But what the pandemic also did was shine a much needed light on how more attention needs to be paid to mental health.

Aventum’s response to helping staff has been to call on the services of one of the UK’s leading performance coaches, Steve Desborough.

Steve, formerly a trader on the LIIFE floor before retraining, has already been helping many members of the Aventum family through 1 to 1 discussions where he focuses on helping to uncover their own ‘innate wellbeing.

“One of the things that was most enlightening to me, that I didn’t know before, was that everyone has innate wellbeing,” Steve says.

MY SESSIONS WITH STEVE HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE UNEXPECTED BENEFITS OF WORKING FOR AVENTUM AND ARE ENABLING ME TO GROW BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY.

“People become less affected by what’s going on at work and they start accessing this resilience.

We then start to introduce fresh thinking to the situation,” he adds.

He compares innate wellbeing to the sun. The sun is always there, however sometimes we struggle to see through the clouds – the clouds in this metaphor being our insecurities.

“Your wellbeing is always there,” he adds. “My job is to help people to see that on a deeper level. Not just to see it as a nice idea, but to see it as the truth.”

Steve aims to help people realise their own wellbeing, rather than to do generic techniques.

Achieving clarity of mind, and clearing away our insecurities is how to reach this realisation.

And having a clear mind can have benefits in both your personal and professional life, which is why Steve is excited to partner up with Aventum in this way.

“It’s been well documented in the sporting arena, but less so in the boardroom,” he says.

“What’s come to the fore in the last couple of years is how

But it’s not just work matters Steve will talk with you about.

He is able to talk with staff about any private matters going on in their personal lives, and every conversation is treated with complete confidentiality.

“This isn’t just about performance and doing better at work,” Steve says. “If someone is going through a deep personal struggle, and it’s making them anxious, then we talk about what’s going on in life.

I want to know their reality – what their world looks like to them.

“It’s so important that they have someone to listen to them – someone that doesn’t have a bias and is coming from a place of neutrality. And I’m an expert at doing this, I know the right way to respond, and help them gain presence and clarity.”

Steve is available for everyone to speak with. To arrange a call with him, email stephen@performance-coach.co.uk

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GROUP NEWS

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Consilium The start of the year has shown very good renewal retention levels at Consilium, especially around the large waste and recycling accounts, with over £1m in GWP of waste business being renewed in December alone. Unfortunately, a sizable risk was also lost through no fault of the team, where the retail broker’s errors on a policy that Consilium doesn’t hold meant the risk being moved. This highlights the nature of wholesale business, where the team are in the hands of the retail broker on many occasions. The onus is very much on the wholesale team to assist and be proactive with all new business and renewals to ensure the agent’s failings doesn’t result in Consilium losing business.

This has been backed up by excellent new business income figures averaging £100,000 per month.

All things considered, a circa 25% growth on budget for November and December has set the non-motor team up well going into the third quarter.

Nick Bird joined the team in January specialising in Design and Construct PI, and he has hit the ground running. Nick, who joined from Gallaghers, has already built some good agent relationships and is able to make use of his expertise when marketing the “hard to place” construction risks.

I wanted to join a young fast growing company.

NICK BIRD Account Executive

Rokstone Underwriting It was a busy end to 2021 for Rokstone, with the official launch of our Marine Cargo offering on an E&S platform. This saw the business go to market with a USD10m per risk E&S line and an USD18m reinsurance line. The marine market is in a good space currently following multiple years of compounded rate increase, and as such the team are excited to see what Rob Birchard can develop in that class.

Bradley Morrish and Angus Lineker have recently joined Rokstone to spearhead a sports prize indemnity product, which is genuinely pioneering in the industry for its capacity structure. Look out for further news next quarter regarding the launch of this product offering.

Rokstone has also relaunched its terrorism offering on the digital distribution platform in the USA, UK & Africa. Africa will continue to be managed from Rokstone’s Mauritius office, with Avinash Seebhujun taking the reins of leadership.

In other news Max Isadore was promoted to Underwriter in the D&F team, whilst Tom Martin was promoted to Assistant Underwriter in Power Generation. Both of these promotions are in recognition of the hard work and talent that both have displayed since joining Rokstone. We are steadfast in our commitment to reinsurers that we hire best in class talent, and the same is true of how we promote top talent which already exists in the business.

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GROUP NEWS

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Novus It has been a busy few months for the Novus team.

Early in November the Stoneley household celebrated the arrival of baby Millie, congratulations to both Jamie and Kadi.

Late December saw Freddy Thumwood and Mollie Brazier join the Group, both initially focussing on supporting Novus, with Freddy as IBA Technician and Mollie as Underwriting Services Executive. Both have settled in quickly, currently providing excellent support to both Natasha and Charlie. During January they also welcomed Florence Lam to the Group as an Administrator in the Hong Kong Office reporting to Terence Fung.

Novus Christmas Lunch celebrations saw the team venturing off to Flight Club in Shoreditch for an “alternative” darts tournament. Simon Piggott almost stole the show and the spoils with 12 points but was pipped by Charlie Ward who, also having 12 points, had to rely on having one more second place spot than Simon to take the win.

Aura Aura had a successful end to 2021 and carried that drive even further into the beginning of 2022 with GWP up circa 30%. More importantly Aura secured the renewal of its binder and coverholder status despite a shrinking and arduous market. Although a small GWP contributor, Aura Assistance is up 95% compared to the same period last year, largely thanks to a drive in distribution channels. 2022 also marks the start of a new working relationship with Rokstone property. Rokstone will support Aura on an intendent basis via select reinsurance risks.

This new joint venture will open up more opportunities to the Group and aid the existing Lloyd’s binder in areas where more support is needed.

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From a business perspective January/February is a major renewal period for Novus. There were a few challenges and last minute saves with the team managing a 100% retention rate with improved terms being achieved across the board - annual GWP from the respective accounts is estimated to be £35m+.

ConsiliumRe ConsiliumRe has been busy embracing broking in Lloyd’s as well as the return of international travel, and benefiting from what can be achieved with face-to-face discussions/broking. The perfect example on the benefits of face to face broking was when the team at Consilium emailed a Mining Machinery risk to a Lloyd’s underwriter, who within the space of 10 minutes had declined the risk due to it being mining. The team at Consilium, knowing this was a good deal, and not taking no for an answer, went to visit the underwriter at Lloyd’s, in order to explain the risk/cover was in respect of over-ground machinery for a mining company, excluding loss of profits as well as any mining operation. The underwriter was satisfied with the face-to-face explanation, then offered a 25% line on the risk.

The two major trips so far this year have been to Mexico and Miami. There has been a lot of change in the ConsiliumRe team already this year, with some old faces departing and new recruits joining, giving plenty of fresh new impetus to the talks with international partners. In Mexico here was particular interest around Jorge Matus, a former Aon and Guy Carpenter broker who recently joined after six years as an underwriter with Odyssey. Jorge brings with him broad connections in the LatAm market across Colombia, Brazil and Peru. To highlight the importance of travel, the trip to Mexico led to 10 new business enquiries in just a few days. The Miami trip was more about reconnecting with existing clients who hadn’t been seen in person for two years due to COVID-19. Nevertheless, there were a number of new opportunities realised, especially in Aviation, as the team looks to broaden how much business it places. Due to the turnover in staff, MD Christian Warrener has taken the decision to focus the team’s efforts on those classes where there is real expertise. This will primarily mean concentration on Property, Terrorism, Aviation, and Construction. Special attention will be given to growing how much US Property the team places after the recent arrival of Jack Mullinder as an Associate Director. This class has been further strengthened by the team’s close ties with Rokstone on the Waste & Recycling Portfolio as well as with Rokstone Construction.

04 Securus

Securus is stretching its wings now that international COVID travel restrictions have lifted. Following two years of confinement to the UK and outsourcing of international business they are now glad to be sending in-house surveyors to undertake international business for the Group. This includes Europe, Australia and the USA. Securus has already undertaken a surveying trip to the US for the Rokstone Group and look forward to a trip to Australia within the next three months. Whilst international travel has opened, the team are still heavily involved with the UK market with agricultural and waste lines growing monthly.

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GROUP NEWS

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iFarm It has been a busy start to the new year as iFarm continues to see high volumes of new business alongside a growing renewal book.

The business held its quarterly Sales Team meeting in York at the end of January where they were joined by iSure’s very own Simon Bowring as both continue to collaborate with broker leads across all products. iFarm launched a marketing campaign reaching all brokers for the Property Owner’s Select product and will shortly be doing the same with focus on Business Motor.

Phase one of the auto renewal function is now fully operational, allowing them to run batch renewals on farm combined and motor without the need for underwriter intervention.

On the people front, there was a new addition in Andrew Notman to the newly established internal claims team. Andrew brings with him a wealth of experience in the agricultural sector, both within MGA and loss adjusting environments.

Looking ahead over the next two months the team are working hard behind the scenes with the Aventum Marketing team on the iFarm rebrand, due to launch ahead of the BIBA conference in Manchester in May.

iSure It’s all go for the Aventum family in Ireland! iSure has had another successful six month trading period with revenue and EBITDA broadly in line and on budget, which is a great result. These results are for the first six months of the trading year. iSure’s priorities are now to get iFarm launched to the agreed panel of brokers in Ireland. They have an exciting self-build scheme opportunity from a supporting broker. Imperium Insurance Management (Ireland) t/a iSure & iFarm have now changed their name to Rokstone Insurance Europe t/a iSure & iFarm and are in the process of an exciting rebrand. The head office in Cavan is also in the process of moving to a bigger office, which is very exciting for all the staff.

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Rokstone CRU It’s been a busy start to the year for Rokstone CRU, as they have struck key deals to launch a brand new Owners Interest product. With capacity secured on a non-admitted basis nationwide with Sutton Specialty Insurance Company, rated A- VIII (Stable) by A.M. Best, Rokstone CRU will be able to expand its liability coverage offering in a section of the market that currently has a significant lack of capacity behind it.

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There was also a major change in the team makeup. With Don Stewart taking his much deserved retirement in February, Dan McCarthy has stepped up to become CRU’s new Vice President. Congratulations Dan, and all the best in your retirement Don!

Rokstone Agriculture The Rokstone Agriculture team has successfully finalised and signed two delegated authority agreements with $25 million in capacity for US Livestock business. One with Accelerant for up to $15 million in capacity and another with Convex for up to $10 million in capacity.

Further, they bound cover on their first risk in late November, and now have agreements in place with 20 brokers who have begun submitting accounts.

Also in the last few months, the RARU team travelled to Houston, Texas to attend the largest cattle industry event of the year, the NCBA Cattlemen’s Convention.

It’s with great sadness that one of Rokstone CRU’s founding partners, Mike Souery, sadly passed away in March. As well as playing a major role as Chief Strategy and Analytics Officer in taking CRU from a standing start in January 2019 to where the business is today, he was also a kind and thoughtful man, well-liked and respected by all colleagues and clients who met him. The entire Aventum family offers it’s thoughts and prayers to Mike’s loving family.

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CORE TEAM NEWS

07 Compliance

2022 will be the ‘Year of Compliance’, according to the team, and work is well underway to tackle our project and monitoring plans. The aim is to build on the existing infrastructure we have in place and improve the overall effectiveness and visibility of our internal processes and procedures.

With the support of Ops, Compliance are developing a Compliance SharePoint, which will become a go-to hub for all your compliance needs, improving accessibility to the team and useful resources.

Eleftheria Papadopoulou was welcomed to the team in February as their new Compliance Monitoring Assistant, here to support the team in delivering on the internal review work.

HR Since the last newsletter, the HR team has continued to be busy!

They recently welcomed Lucy Orpwood to the team. Lucy joined as Senior Talent Advisor, working closely with Ali Foroshani. Lucy previously worked with a number of recruitment agencies. On the topic of recruitment, HR continue to be busy with sourcing talent to join the company, as we continue to grow at a pace.

Work continues with the development of HR services to the Group. They recently helped with changing pension providers from Aviva to Scottish Widows, and introduced salary exchange to make pension contributions. Other changes include the introduction of a day off for your birthday, in lieu of the £50 gift. The team continues to develop the ADP system and what it can do to support the business as a whole. Imperium employees were recently added to the system, and Payroll is now being run for our Imperium colleagues.

Ciara Maslen has also joined the team as Learning & Development Coordinator. Ciara joins from Amwins Global Risks and will be responsible for building out the Group L&D strategy.

If you have any HR-related questions, talk to us or drop us an email at hr@aventumgroup.com

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Marketing The Marketing team continues to be busy with all things ‘rebrand’ as they integrate a number of the Group businesses into the new brand styling. iSure, iFarm, Novus and Aura are all being aligned to Rokstone and will have a fresh new look and feel over the coming weeks.

The Instanda platform, which is used by Group businesses to transact insurance products online with broker partners has also undergone an overhaul with a fresh new design.

The team also particularly enjoyed supporting the office refurbishment project in London, creating some large scale graphics to make it feel ‘Aventum’.

To support the continued growth of our overseas businesses, new websites have been launched for our US businesses – Rokstone Construction Risk Underwriters and Rokstone Agriculture.

Finally, as Covid-19 begins to disappear from our daily discussions, large scale events and exhibitions are making a welcome return. Marketing are currently event planning to support Consilium with the BIBA event in Manchester and the Rokstone Waste & Recycling team with their plans to exhibit at the Waste Expo in Las Vegas. Both events take place in the second week of May.

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NEWS IN BRIEF Friday run club Looking to get in shape ahead of the big Nuclear Races weekend? Ahead of the big day, Group Personal Trainer James Fewtrell has started a Friday run club in London. Starting at 9am, he takes a group of staff on a 30-40 minute run, getting everyone back to their desks by 10am.

Multiple routes have been planned past London’s top attractions, and everyone is welcome to use the gym showers or showers on Lower Ground 1 of the office building afterwards.

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This run club can be IN ADDITION to your usual PT session ONLY if you are signed up to the race in May. This also needs to be agreed by any line manager you report into.

If you don’t do PT you are welcome to use this as your weekly appointment if it seems like a more suitable or attractive proposition.

Please drop James a WhatsApp message on 07958 286 700 if you’re interested.

International Women’s Day Everyone at Aventum marked International Women’s Day on the 8th March by getting behind this year’s theme of #Breakthebias.

We are proud to be a Group where 50% of our family is female, with incredible talent across all our offices

making a difference to the organisation every day.

Insurance is an industry where a lot of work on breaking gender biases remains to be done, which is why we took to social media to share our support for International Women’s Day.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Red Nose Day Aventum businesses all got behind the Comic Relief Appeal by donning red noses for Red Nose day. Staff and their family members from across the Group bought noses and shared pictures. Noses were also on sale in the London office, where we managed to raise £76 for the appeal. Thanks to all that supported – here are some of our favourite pictures.

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Ollie’s FIA3 debut Aventum-sponsored motor racer Ollie Bearman got off to a fantastic start in his debut FIA3 race weekend. Racing in Bahrain against competitors far more experienced at this level, Ollie finished second and sixth in his two races, leaving him third overall in the standings.

Before the race, 16-year-old Ollie also found time to take on his dad and Aventum CEO David Bearman in an F1 quiz, with all-important bragging rights at stake. If you haven’t yet seen how they got on, make sure you visit the Aventum social media channels, where you can watch the whole quiz and see who came out on top.

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