INTERVIEW
An insurance broker for the community
Business insurance is essential in providing protection and peace of mind to firms and giving them the confidence to invest and grow. In the current economic climate, its more crucial than ever. Business Network talked to Chris Mallett, Associate Director at Chamber strategic partner Aston Lark’s Derby office, about the importance of insurance to business.
When it comes to unsung business heroes, insurance brokers might not necessarily be the first thing that springs to mind. However, without effective insurance in place, businesses
wouldn’t be able to invest, innovate and take the risks they need to grow, and drive the economy forwards. Chris Mallett has witnessed a more than a decade of
change within the insurance industry, bookended by arguably two of the most seismic events the UK’s economy has seen, the Credit Crunch of 2008 to the coronavirus pandemic of 2020. He worked for global insurer and risk management specialist Aon while studying for his history degree, at the University of Leicester, in 2008, before joining the firm full time upon graduating two years later. Over the next nine years, he worked in a variety of roles
across Aon, from customer service and operations to product development and broking. He joined Chamber strategic partner Aston Lark, as its
Associate Director in Derby, last September. Chris said: “I guess like most people in the insurance
industry, it was never my grand plan as a kid growing up to end up working for an insurance broker. “My first foray into insurance was working part time
while I was at university. It was an opportunity to earn a bit of money but was an interesting introduction into customer service. After university, I got the opportunity to work in a role which was military insurance focused, which introduced to a section of society that otherwise I
wouldn't have had any exposure to. “That was a lightbulb moment, which developed my
thinking around insurance and gave me the opportunity to get a feel for different sectors of the economy. “I moved from that role to work for an insurance broker,
where I stayed for the best part of ten years. I had a variety of different roles which gave me a broad set of experiences within the industry. “And it was fascinating to be able to get under the skin
of all of these different sectors, and build up an understanding of exactly how things work across different regulatory frameworks and ways of operating, all through the prism of being a trusted risk adviser to these businesses. Ultimately, insurance is a people focused business. Having that opportunity to interact with clients to understand them was a big draw for me. “So, when the opportunity came up to come to Derby,
which is a high performing branch within Aston Lark, and take on the role of Head of Branch and Associate Director, it was too good to turn down.”
28 business network June/July 2020
Chris Mallett and colleague Becky Hitchcock took part in this year's 'Big Sleep Out' in aid of Derbyshire YMCA
‘Ultimately, insurance is a people focused business. Having that opportunity to interact with clients to understand them was a big draw for me’
Aston Lark is one of the UK’s leading independent
insurance brokers. It has expanded significantly over the past three or four years and now operates 31 offices across the UK and Ireland and around 900 staff. Its Derby office has been part of the city’s business community since the 1970s, becoming part of Aston Lark in 2017. It serves around 3,000 clients, mainly in and around
Derby, but also across the East Midlands, and aims to serve the community its sits within and is a part of. Chris said: “A lot of our customers are from the sectors
that are predominant within the local economy, such as manufacturers, construction, transport and logistics and the motor trade. We’ve got quite a few property owners as well and we also cover a range of professional services companies and a few niche clients which sit in specialist areas. “And we've got a nice blend of staff who are really experienced in those core areas that mirror the East
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