Recipe for success

Andy started in the insurance industry a few years after school, when he was looking for a role in which, in his own words, he could use his brain and work in a career that’s interesting and rewarding.

After a variety of different roles across IAG for over 14 years, and a recent stint into the broker world as Head of Commercial for a large independent brokerage in Auckland, Andy has returned to NZI as the National Broker Partner Strategic Growth & Delivery.

“I spent a lot of time working with brokers from the NZI point of view, and I thought I had understood their role pretty well, but it’s not until you are on the other side of the fence and you get to really understand what the broker goes through and the additional pressure they face.”

“Now I have a new-found respect for what brokers have to go through to deliver the terms that we give them and a new understanding of what’s life like as a broker, which I will take with me into my new role.”

Understanding other points of view and processes are also a key element in another of his passions; barbecuing. He is part of an award-winning barbecue team and competes in a North Island circuit.

For Andy, getting things right entails many hours of hard work, time and dedication – not unlike insurance.

 “One of the hardest meats to cook is a brisket. If you get it wrong, it can be a difficult situation, but when you get it right it’s magical, and the best bite you will ever have.”

“It’s a bit of an art to manage fire and smoke, and take a tough cut of meat to perfectly tender and delicious, after 8-10 hours of cooking.”

Andy shares his passion for the barbecue among colleagues and brokers, and for him, the BBQ season doesn’t stop with summer, it’s dedication all year long.

“I’ve got five barbecues at home. All different shapes and sizes. They range from a really small portable charcoal BBQ to a 600 kg steel smoker, which I had custom built.”

After 15 years in insurance, balanced with his passion for barbecuing, Andy has no plans to leave the industry he loves.

“Brokers and underwriters are really good people. We all work hard and get to form strong relationships over many years. The public might not always see this, but we do make their world a safer place. The fact that you can see a disaster of any scale and know that people can rebuild their homes or replace their cars with our help. What we do really helps people’s lives.”