To say that Treena Rowley (pictured) is happy to have landed the broking services and business operations executive general manager (EGM) position at Rothbury Insurance Brokers is perhaps putting it lightly. Here the industry stalwart shares with Insurance Business what she loves about the sector and her take on the ongoing industry and market changes in New Zealand.
“This is a dream role for me as it brings together the experience and skills gained from my previous roles into one,” said Rowley, who most recently served as client delivery head. “With 17 years’ experience in the insurance industry, I’ve held various senior roles in commercial broking, insurance management, and business leadership for companies including Lumley Insurance, IAG, and Crombie Lockwood.
“The opportunity to make a difference in a company that truly puts clients and people at the heart of what it does is key for me. Rothbury’s client satisfaction ratings reflect the company’s client-centric approach across the insurance lifecycle. We consistently achieve Net Promoter Scores above 56 and up to 74 for our various divisions. These scores put us at excellent through to world-class, which is brilliant.”
The EGM took on the post in late January, joining the executive leadership team at the majority owned New Zealand firm that is one of the biggest insurance brokerages in the country.
Read more: Rothbury opens new West Coast office
Rowley told Insurance Business: “This role is all about working collaboratively with the wider Rothbury executive team and the 25 Rothbury branches nationwide to further strengthen our business. My overarching focus is on helping our clients mitigate risk and enhancing their financial resilience by accessing the right insurance solutions.
“I will also be supporting and encouraging our brokers in their professional careers and in obtaining the right qualifications, in line with the new financial advice regime.”
Last month, Rothbury said the key hire’s insurance experience, business leadership, and solutions-focussed approach bring a significant amount of expertise to the company.
Meanwhile Rowley added: “As Rothbury continues to grow, I’m excited to build more capability and continue to deliver an outstanding client experience.
“Events in the past two years have had a significant impact on the insurance industry. From increasing concerns about climate change and political unrest, to the global pandemic altering the way we live, work, and travel, individuals and businesses are operating in an environment of ever-evolving risks.”
Rowley said she looks forward to enhancing systems and processes to continue to help clients access the right insurance solutions, with what the EGM called a “careful balance” of security, risk appetite, coverage, and price to secure the most favourable terms.
“What I love about broking,” she told Insurance Business, “is that every day our people are helping their clients keep their assets secure, and that has remained unchanged under the industry reforms.
“The new legislative requirements provide a structured framework to support what our people have been doing every day for years. While there are some specific aspects to look out for, our core principles of what we do, how we engage clients, and how we ensure our insurance policies are tailored to meet the clients’ needs has not changed at all.”
Rowley went on to note: “Further, it’s great for our industry to have a professional qualification that recognises the skills that our people deliver to clients every day.”
As for the increased competition in the market following the recent entry of global players, Rowley’s camp does not seem fazed.
She asserted: “At Rothbury, our local brokers provide personal service and quality advice to our clients, driven by our commitment to the future financial security and success of our clients. That is what our clients value and helps ensure they continue to work with us year after year. With that focus and commitment, an increase in competition is not a concern. We know where we excel in the market and will continue to do that.”
Rothbury, which came to life in 1950, is part of general insurance broker network Steadfast Group. The business has access to more than 60 insurance providers and is a sister company of underwriting agencies Go Cover, Covi, and Southern Pacific Underwriting Agency Limited.
