What has been – or will be – your approach for a return to the office?

While I have been fortunate that I am able to work effectively and efficiently from home, I do miss the buzz of seeing my colleagues in the office and the more personal approach of face-to-face meetings.

Back in March, we reacted quickly to ensure all our staff were able to work effectively from home. The company has continued to provide support on everything from office equipment to mental wellbeing services to all employees. We opened our offices at the end of June for a minority of employees who wanted to return to office work. In the longer term, we anticipate a blended approach of home and office working, combining the best and most productive aspects of each.

What did Vitality learn about its working practices from the pandemic?

We’re a company that innovates and manages change quickly so we were well placed to make necessary changes to our working environment. We recognised we can still maintain a reliable, robust support infrastructure to the broker community, our clients and members.

We also adapted the Vitality Programme to ensure clients could benefit from rewards whilst in lockdown at home. I do think insurers, not just Vitality, should be applauded for the way in which they’ve adapted to the pandemic.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career?

After 33 years in the industry there have been many. Joining Vitality in 2008 when it was a start-up, it had a number of challenges, most notably bringing innovation to (at that time) a very stale unimaginative protection market. However, in 12 years we’ve established ourselves as a leading insurer, and I believe we really are leading the way in linking health and wellness to protection.

During the global financial crisis in 2007/8, when I worked for a different insurer, we saw the demise of Northern Rock as a key strategic partner. Apart from the obvious commercial losses, the sheer personal effect on staff and partners’ lives was particularly difficult. People and the industry did bounce back in time though, and many of my old colleagues can still be found working in the mortgage and protection industry.

I’ve learned something from every challenge I’ve faced in my career, but the key has always been to have a great cohesive team working towards resolving whatever challenge faces us. I’ve always been fortunate in working with really good people.

If there was one thing you could change about the industry, what would it be?

If I’m allowed to choose more than one:

First, personal individual registration and authorisation of every protection adviser with the regulator. I believe this would improve standards and reduce the amount of rogue brokers that resurface in the protection industry.

I’d like to see firms transition away from indemnity commission terms onto fees or trail commission (I’m ignoring the reduction in protection sales that would happen if this was mandatory).

Finally, I’d like every adviser to mandate and record a comprehensive protection discussion with every client to ensure more families are protected and to protect themselves against future advice risk.

What is the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?

I can’t pick out one, but I’d like to think that I can take the emotion (which is often what makes them tough) out of difficult decisions, so when tasked with making them I like to take counsel from others and then make the decision, ensuring I communicate the rationale clearly.

As a child, what was your dream job?

I didn’t really have a dream job, although I did want to work at Ford Motor Company as a very young child because of my love of Ford Capris! I would have loved to be a fighter pilot but I’m quite happy with how my career has worked out, although I didn’t leave school looking to work in the financial services industry.

What advice would you give your teenage self?

Work hard, be positive and enthusiastic and be aware of the impact of your actions and decisions on everyone. I think I live by these now too.

Do you have any (soon to be no longer) secret talents?

I’ve maintained my love and dedication to Tottenham Hotspur for a long time and that is quite a talent, but no I don’t really have any secret talents. However, I do know the words to ‘Rapper’s Delight’ by The Sugarhill Gang which comes out on occasion at family parties with my girls!

Who is your all-time hero, and why?

I don’t really have an all-time hero although I was a big admirer of Margaret Thatcher for breaking boundaries, staying strong to her principles and leading the country for so long. Not everyone agrees with me on that.

My all-time hero will be the manager of Tottenham Hotspur that eventually brings the Premier league title to the club!

COMPANY PROFILE

Year established: 2004

Headcount:1,400

Address: 4th floor, 70 Gracechurch St, London EC3V 0XL

Company synopsis: Vitality is part of Discovery Limited, a worldwide insurer and investment manager. In the UK, Vitality operates as three distinct businesses: VitalityHealth, VitalityLife and VitalityInvest.