B: So George, we get to do the blog this week! How does that feel?

G: Damn, I thought I could have escaped without having to do any blogging. How does it work?

B: Well, you just say what’s going on in your life and hope that people reading it will find it interesting.

G: What about what’s going on in their own lives – wouldn’t that be more interesting?

B: That’s not how it works! So come on, what’s happening, what have you been up to and what are you going to do next year?

G: Ah, I get it. Well, I’m busy shredding and deleting stuff that I’ve accumulated over the last decade at Aviva. When I look back at all the plans and objectives and all the strategies what strikes me is that our industry in many ways is vastly different to when I joined 32 years ago – and in many ways it is still the same!

B: So what’s different?

G: I thought this was a joint blog? What have you been getting up to?

B: We’ll get back to that …

G: OK. What is different is distribution – to a point. The big difference is the emergence of aggregators and consolidators and the use of the internet for Personal Lines business. Isn’t this all a bit boring?

B: That’s up to you …

G: What has remained the same is the handshake.

B: Are you saying you are a Freemason?

G: You’ve been reading too much Dan Brown. What I mean is that no amount of technology – telephone, internet, blogging, tweeting etc can replace a meeting between people to build a solid business relationship, do business together and have a good time along the way. A handshake is both a literal manifestation of that as well as being a pretty good metaphor for how I like to do business.

B: And what are you going to do next year when you retire from Aviva?

G: I’m glad you said “retire from Aviva” – you could also have said I’m too young to retire …

B: Ok – you’re too young to retire … what are you going to do?

G: I’m not telling you on the grounds that it is too boring …

B: That’s not fair …

G: I know. Now what about you, what’s happening in your life Bridge? I can call you Bridge, can’t I?

B: It’s Brigid, George. I’m busy, travelling all over the country. You should know – you’ve been in the same places having “leaving do”s …

G: Yes, true. Adverse affect on the old waist measurement but well worth it. What else have you been up to?

B: I’ve been mucking out …

G: Have you been raking through my cupboards already? I’m not away yet …

B: No, I’ve been mucking out the horses – in Ireland. I’m from Ireland you know …

G: You’re Canadian.

B: I’m Irish.

G: Irish Canadian?

B: Ok, Irish Canadian.

G: Is that a good thing?

B: No. It’s a great thing!

G: Happy New Year Brigid and good luck in your new role. Have fun!

B: You too Georgie. Enjoy your “retirement”. Maybe we could have lunch next month?

G: You’re on …

Brigid Murphy (Regional Brokers Director)

George Berrie (Retiring Director of Trading)

If there has been one theme running through my life over the last six months, its change – with a capital C!

In January this year, I left Canada to take on a new job, working for a new company, in a new marketplace. I’m living in a new home, have new colleagues and new friends…and a new car to drive on the wrong side of the road. When I approached Aviva and asked for a job in the UK (so I could be closer to family), I thought I had a really good idea of what was in store – after all, I grew up in Ireland, had worked for a UK company for 20 years (Guardian) and spent lots of time in the UK, etc. In reality, I didn’t know the half of it. The things I thought would be difficult were easy and what looked easiest from a distance was the most difficult.

Easy things were engaging in the work, getting to know the people and the company and settling into a new home. Insurance people are lovely in the UK too. The difficult things were those annoying little details like opening a bank account (not easy!), getting a drivers licence, am I on the right train? Did I mention wearing high heels on cobblestones? OK, so maybe the difficult things don’t stack up very high in the scheme of things, but I do have some really nice high heels!

So it’s been a bit of a breeze really – it helps that I love what I do and what Aviva is all about. What’s not to like?!…working with John Kennedy and the Fast Trade team on launching and deploying this great offering (and hearing such nice feedback), meeting and working with branch staff and seeing their passion about what brokers need and want from Aviva, getting to understand our underwriting capability (impressive) and working with Janice and our team to make Aviva the company that brokers value most. Anyone would love that job!

And six months in, change is still in the air. Most people have heard that George Berrie has decided to ‘call it a day’ and is retiring at the end of the year. George has been one of the people who made my early Aviva experience such a pleasure. I was directed by Janice in the first week to ‘talk to George…he knows everything’ and, sure enough, he does. I’m delighted to have the chance to work closely with him over the next six months or so, but I have no illusions about the hard act I’ll be following when I take on his duties at the end of the year. At least the first six months were easy.

Brigid Murphy (Director of Trading)