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Having previously worked in a variety of communication, project and general management roles, Simon Johnson’s entry into the world of insurance wasn’t straightforward. Life circumstances led to a career change, some consulting at Honan, and eventually to his current role as Head of BRIC. We recently sat down with him to learn more about his career journey to date, the goals he has set for himself in FY24 (both personally and work-related), and what most surprised him about the insurance industry.
I wanted to be an opening batter for the Australian cricket team. As a child I would play cricket every night after school for hours. I’ve always loved sports because of the competitive nature and process of trying to get better every day.
I studied business at university, choosing a course that had the option of a year’s work experience as I felt I’d benefit from that. I landed a role at Mercedes-Benz Australia and stayed on for another 20 years in a variety of communication, project, and general management roles, including running the corporate office for a number of CEOs. It was an insightful experience, seeing how a board goes about running a company and driving high performance.
Life circumstances led to a career change, some consulting at Honan, and eventually to my current role.
To me, success is working together as a team and pushing in the same direction, striving for excellence. It’s when our clients recommend us to their friends and family, because they believe in the value we provide. We are nothing without our clients so it’s our top priority to ensure our clients are well-serviced and satisfied.
In the insurance game, relationships are everything throughout the value chain. Coming from a different industry and not having these relationships has been a challenge at times. Thankfully, Honan has a team with excellent, long-term relationships. I’ve been lucky that many Honan colleagues have been generous in welcoming me into these networks.
There is a lot to know about insurance, and that knowledge naturally takes time to build. I’ve had to start from scratch and step out of my comfort zone, but that’s been totally worth it – I have fantastic colleagues and a strong team.
At Honan we have a long-established capability and team in Transport and Logistics, which was further strengthened last year when Honan acquired ATIA (Australian Transport Insurance Agency). In 2023 our aim is to bring the skills, experience, and passion of both teams closer together because there is a lot to be gained in our joint capabilities and intellectual property, for our clients and business alike.
My personal goal is to finalise the renovation plans for my 100-year-old Edwardian home – it’s the ugly duckling of the street, but a diamond in the rough.
How diverse the work, skillsets, and opportunities are in insurance. I have been surprised by how much there is to know and how closely you can get to know a client’s business. The value that a well-thought-out risk transfer solution can add to a business’s success and sustainability is amazing. I ‘m always struck by how passionate the professionals in the industry are about what they do and achieving results for their clients.
Our people and our clients! It’s the continuous challenge and opportunities that come from asking ourselves what’s working well, what can we improve, and then going about trying to bring that to life.
Changing careers was a risk but it’s probably in my private life that I have a higher risk tolerance. Mainly in respect to physical pursuits, where I’ve taken on decent endurance challenges over the journey – surf and adventure racing and wilderness hiking. They’re probably more adventurous than risky, but they do have moments both in preparation and in the physical acts that require you to deal with risk. Like everything, you can manage it by putting in the work and developing a can-do, solutions-based mindset. There’s an exhilaration to eyeing off a challenge and finding a way to get it done.
Be open to it! There are without doubt valuable transferable skillsets across industries. And having a positive attitude goes a long way. You learn a lot and will grow both professionally and personally.
However, there’s no substitute for time and experience in an industry, particularly the relationships you build. So don’t underestimate the work required, nor undervalue the knowledge and networks you already have in your current industry.
My work ethic, tenacity, and ability to get along with most people. I believe you get out what you put in. This mindset helps me to get things done; to keep pushing and striving.
