LAUREN COOPER Commercial account handler SWINTON BUSINESS Age: 27
While working at local broker Thomas & Co, Lauren Cooper dedicated her time and efforts to creating and maintaining schemes with insurers for specialised wheelchair-adapted vehicles. “My passion ADVICE FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS “Be ambitious and never give up on your goals. It may seem like you’re standing still at points, but these slow times are a respite before it all takes off again, but most importantly stay true to yourself, because this is what people respect and respond to.”
for this was fuelled by the unfair prices disabled people were forced to pay in order to insure an adapted vehicle, due to their disability,” she explains. Additionally, while at Thomas & Co., Cooper took time to learn the System Service Processor (SSP) computer system and worked with SSP to improve issues she identified. To this end, she arranged for Thomas & Co. to be placed on a separate server for piloting processing, which ultimately allowed the company to assist other brokers who were affected by major SSP outages. Recently, Cooper joined Swinton Business as a commercial account handler, where she is already “exceeding expectations and is level with people who have been in a similar role for much longer,” says a peer. When she is not working on insurance, Cooper enjoys outward bounds pursuits, and has previously travelled on missionary trips to Zambia, Angola, Madagascar and Mauritius.
KIERAN LEAVER Underwriter R&Q COMMERCIAL RISK SERVICES Age: 23
Four years ago at the age of 18, Kieran Leaver joined R&Q Commercial Risk Services as an administrative assistant, and he has since climbed the ranks to become one of the firm’s lead development underwriters with full underwriting authority. As well as his advancement within the firm in a few short years, Leaver has also established new and existing market relations with brokers and insurers and helped develop and launch a number of schemes/products, including R&Q’s online quote and bind facility, Mi-Binder, for partner brokers – all of which have contributed to the company’s tremendous profitable growth and excellent loss ratios. Also, earlier this year Leaver was selected for the MGAA Development Day at Lloyd’s of London.
THOMAS AVON Procurement officer ADMIRAL INSURANCE Age: 29
A former design engineer, Thomas Avon spent the early years of his professional career working on projects ranging from plastic factories in Southeast Asia to motion control performances at Olympic opening ceremonies and set control for West End musicals. This unique background has given Avon a strong foundation in “defining and rebuilding processes as well as delivering projects that must work the first time, on time”, he says. Now as procurement manager at Admiral Insurance, Avon focuses on the modernisation of the firm’s supply chain that interacts with customers. In the last year, Avon aimed to build strategic relationships with suppliers with proclivity for new technology as well as an understanding of Admiral’s progressive philosophy. “I have a firm belief that online methods of interaction and machine learning tools are of benefit to both customer and business,” Avon says.
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