Basic HTML Version
4
touchline
Broker Profile ~
Ian Braid
all set for the Winter Olympics
in Vancouver next year.
In my role as British Triathlon
director I am
involved
in
the
staging of
a World
Championship Series Triathlon
on August 15/16 in Hyde Park,
London as part of the build
up and test for the London
Games in 2012. In addition I
chair the Steering Group that
will bring the World Duathlon
Championships
(run/bike/
run) to Edinburgh in 2010
as part of the build up to
the Commonwealth Games
in Glasgow in 2014. Both
present great opportunities to
raise the profile of Triathlon
in the UK and hopefully home
advantage in Hyde Park will
get us at least one athlete on
the podium.
What are some of your
personalaccomplishments
that you are most proud of
in the last few years?
Completing L’Etape du Tour
(a 150 mile leg of the Tour de
France in a day).
Setting
up
a
Regional
committee for Wooden Spoon
(
http://www.woodenspoon.
com/
)
from
scratch
and
turning it into one of the
most successful regions
in
three years (with the help
of others!!). Wooden Spoon
is rugby’s charity (in the
Home Nations)
and
has
for 25 years helped raised
money for projects that help
disadvantaged children and
young people.
You are a valued broker
in
the
Sportscover
network. How have you
found working with the
company?
Sportscover are good people
to deal with. There
is a
genuine passion about sport
and a willingness to listen
and help wherever they can. I
have worked with Sportscover
on a number of presentations
and their flexible approach
and attention to detail has
helped us win a number of
new clients. I’m hoping it will
be an even better relationship
in ‘09 when we reclaim the
Ashes!
In addition to his business
accomplishments, Ian is a tri-
athlete and a keen sports fan
putting something back into
sport through his position as a
non-executive director of British
Triathlon and his work with the
sports charity – SportsAid.
Ian kindly took the time
to share his insights and
experiences with Touchline.
Can
you
describe
your
pathway
into
the insurance broking
business?
Insurance wasn’t my career
of choice. I had a degree in
Town & Country Planning
and a M.Sc. in Pollution and
Environmental Control, but
I was “green” before my
time.
From university, I worked 18
years for Royal Sun Alliance
in various roles finishing
in
senior
management
positions in head office in
Horsham Sussex.
I have been with Towergate
for two years. Prior to that
I worked as a marketing
consultant to the business
evaluating the potential of
the sports market in the U.K.
with particular reference to
National Governing Bodies
(NGBs) and how Towergate
might position itself in the
sector during the London
Olympiad. I believed my
own press and joined the
business full time.
What are your particular
areas of interest in the
insurance business?
I’m particularly interested
in
the
insurance /
risk
management requirements
of
National
Governing
Bodies (NGBs) and their
members.
As well as the core and
statutory liabilities, this also
includes working with NGB
clients
to
build
stronger
affinity with their members
through the offer of relevant
insurance products.
Many
NGBs
are
also
successfully bidding to host
major sporting events in the
U.K. – oftenwith the assistance
of U.K. Sport funding – and
we are
insuring many of
those events. For example,
the
Modern
Pentathlon
Association of Great Britain
World
Championships
at
Crystal Palace in August this
year and for British Wrestling
International Tournament at
the English Institute of Sport
in Sheffield.
What are some of
the main professional
accomplishments you are
most proud of in the last
few years?
Two years ago Towergate
was an unknown name in
the sector. Now I believe with
the growth of our client-base
and other initiatives, we are
becoming increasingly well-
known not just as a name,
but as a business that offers
something different.
Our intervention in the market
has often caused a significant
difference in getting NGBs to
review the appropriateness of
their current programmes and
in many cases has caused
reductions
in
premiums.
All NGBs are not-for-profit
organisations so when savings
are made that is money that
can be better
invested
in
sport for the benefit of sport.
What are the best aspects
of your current job?
I have a passionate interest
in sport and in my role I get
to understand how many
varied sports are delivered
in the U.K. I am a non-
executive director
for
the
British Triathlon Federation.
Understanding
how
other
sports operate and how sport
in the U.K. operates through
the relationships with U.K.
Sport and the Sports Councils
helps in my role on the board.
Towergate is the insurance
partner and a sponsor of
SportsAid
(
http://www.
sportsaid.org.uk
).
This
charity helps the potential
sports stars of
tomorrow
when they are 12-18 through
funding
and
recognition.
Former
SportsAid
alumni
include Sir Steve Redgrave,
Sir Matthew Pinsent, Dame
Kelly Holmes and Dame Tanni
Grey-Thompson. The thought
that we may be helping future
Olympians is very motivating
for me.
Are there any individuals
who find particularly
inspiring?
Inspirational
figures
do
not necessarily have to be
famous. I have been touched
recently by two young people
who I have met and whilst
both are having to cope with
adversity they are incredibly
positive. One is the nine year
old daughter of family friends
and she has been having
treatment for cancer for over
a year. She has recently done
a presentation to peers and
teachers at school to tell
them all about her illness.
The other I met only recently
when I presented her with
a
SportsAid
award.
She
represents GB Women at Deaf
Football and has ambitions
to play women’s
football
and ultimately coach
the
GB team when she retires.
I know this as she stood up
and addressed a meeting of
120 people and had complete
disregard for her disability.
Working in the sports
insurance industry, do you
find time to participate in
sport yourself?
I have been a journeyman
rugby union player and on
retirement from rugby turned
myself
into a journeyman
triathlete. As well as these
sports I try to follow the
sports of our clients and I’m
glad to say this is becoming
increasingly difficult as we get
more. I am delighted to say
that one of our newest clients
(with Sportscover)
is
the
British Bobsleigh Association
and they are the current
Women’s World Champions –
Ian Braid is the Sports Development Executive for Towergate based in
Warwick, England – part of the Towergate Partnership, Europe’s largest
independently-owned insurance intermediary.