Insurance broking is a profession that stands out for two distinct reasons – firstly that it is so rarely actively embarked upon as a career path and secondly, that those who do fall into its grasp tend to universally appreciate its value. The career to date of Joanne Marriott (pictured), commercial manager at Russell Scanlan, is a testament to both.
Like so many before and after her, Marriott fell into broking, taking up a role in a small Mansfield-based brokerage, simply because there was a job opening but, over 30 years later, she is not just an industry stalwart but also a passionate believer in raising the profile and the professionalism of insurance brokers. Reflecting on how much she has enjoyed her professional journey, Marriott noted that she first heard about her current role through a director at Russell Scanlan whom she had worked with previously.
“So, when they asked me to come and talk to them about the prospect of taking over as their commercial manager, I absolutely jumped at the chance,” she said. “As soon as I met with the whole team, I just knew it was the right place for me. So, I joined them last October, and I’ve not looked back since.”
In her role at Russell Scanlan, Marriott highlighted that she relishes the opportunity to balance the day-to-day insurance broking that first drew her to the role with her role as a manager responsible for onboarding, training and mentoring her team. She feels that she is in the right place at the right time, she said, and it is the confidence that the broker’s team have given her that empowered her to recently accept the role as president of the Insurance Institute of Nottingham.
“I’ve been involved with the institute for about 18 years,” she said. “Helen Wilcox, my former boss [at Dragoon Insurance] was on the council when I joined that company, and she is very passionate about it. She asked me if I was interested in getting on board which I was, and I spent many years taking parts in council meetings and discussions without an active role but, as time went by, I was happy to take on an additional role.
“I was dinner secretary for around eight years and then a few years ago I took over the role as treasurer. And they have been courting me to be president for a number of years now, but it never felt like the right time. But as soon as I got on board with Russell Scanlan, I knew that the directors would support me and allow me the time that I needed to fulfil my presidential role, as well as my day-to-day work as well. So, everything just fell into place.”
Taking on a presidential role during a global crisis comes with its challenges, she said, but has also made the process somewhat more manageable due to the virtual nature of meeting and training sessions. Marriott and her team are currently in the process of arranging a flagship event the institute holds every 18 months, InsurED, and, while it is time-consuming, it is always rewarding to give back to the local industry and pass on the support and guidance she herself has been given over the years.
The institute has done a great job over the past year, she said, and worked ceaselessly to provide training sessions for local professionals and that will continue to underpin her work as president. In addition to maintaining this CPD concentration, however, Marriott is determined that this year will see the recognition and celebration of local women and not just high-fliers across the industry. After all, it is not just insurance leaders, but also account handlers, account executives and office staff that every business needs in order to succeed.
“I want to celebrate those people,” she said. “Part of my ancestral history is that my great grandmother was a leading suffragette in Leicester, and there’s actually a statue of her in the marketplace. So, I come from a background of ‘votes for women’ and championing women and that’s very much a focus of [my presidency] - recognising those people who come to work every day and do the job and succeed at it.”
Another essential area of focus for her and her team is charity as she recognises the blow that charitable organisations have been dealt during COVID. The institute is refocusing on charity this year and is currently looking at new ways to try and raise as much money as possible for these associations.
Even though it’s early days in her new role and she’s still learning the ropes, Marriott said she is excited about the opportunity ahead of her and meeting all the other people in similar positions throughout the country. Examining what she believes sets Nottingham apart from an insurance broking perspective, she highlighted the collaborative approach within this region, and the variety of independent insurance brokers it still hosts.
“We used to have a lot of insurers in the city centre, as well, RSA and Aviva among others,” she said. “Unfortunately, they’re no longer here but the local broking community has thrived over the past few years, while maintaining their independence, where lots of brokers elsewhere have joined networks, etc.
“And I think that’s great and because we know each other and talk to each other, we can share experiences and share best practices and things like that. So, it is very much a community and a collaborative one at that. This isn’t always the case, particularly in cities. But I think we do fantastically well at that. When we do hold the face-to-face CPD sessions, everybody knows each other, everybody’s willing to talk to each other. It’s all done in an open way rather than behind closed doors and I think that’s a fantastic way to work.”
