S4 EP63: Achieving business imperatives and being in good company - Daniel Fisher, Group Head of HR, Communications & Culture, Hamilton Insurance Group

The Insurance Coffee House

“The strength of our culture was something we used in the presentations to analysts and investors”, says Daniel.

“We did some work around our employee value proposition and we asked our colleagues, ‘Why do you work at Hamilton?’

The common theme was collaboration and that's how we came up with the phrase ‘In good company’.

As part of the IPO, we used it as our overall company tagline to say, ‘You're in good company with Hamilton, whether you're a client, broker, stakeholder or investor.’”

On the Insurance Coffee House Podcast, Daniel shares his career journey from the NatWest graduate programme, his varied roles at Munich Re to joining Hamilton Insurance Group six years ago.

He talks about the transition from a larger, more corporate environment to starting his current role at Hamilton, with 120 people and $500m in premium in 2018.

“Joining Hamilton, I was excited for the opportunity to be at a company, almost at its start and helping it build. It's very different to being at a large organisation. What excites people about joining Hamilton is that you feel you can move the needle.”

The business has subsequently grown to 550+ employees, with $2bn in premium and listed on the NYSE in November 2023.

Daniel gives an overview of the core functions of the business today and his role of overseeing the HR function, internal and external communications, as well as developing the strength of culture Hamilton has become known for.

“We firmly believe that having a strong culture is critical and a component of our overall underwriting success.

Engaged employees are an essential part of Hamilton's success. They drive productivity and innovation, that will lead to the ultimate success of the company.”

Daniel explains how Hamilton’s values of ‘Be smart, Be sensible, Be open, Be more’ underpin activity around recruitment, performance management and talent management, as well as the key role communication plays.

Regular town halls at both group and local level, together with ‘Hamilton on a page’ lays out strategy and helps employees understand current performance and achieve our business imperatives of sustainable underwriting profit, strategic growth, technology enablement and being a magnet for talent.

Daniel highlights the importance of collaboration and how the outcomes of staff surveys help address any team concerns.

He shares his advice for leaders coming to interview at Hamilton and advises his insurance industry HR peers not to rush the hiring process if they’re unsure of a candidate, but to move with haste if they are.

Daniel explains Hamilton’s DEI statement, ‘Open minds open doors’ and how welcoming and respecting differences, helps attract and retain the best talent.

“We embrace all forms of diversity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, but gender has been something we’re particularly proud of what we've been able to achieve.

Of our total employee base, 45% are female. 36% of our Underwriting leads and Claims leads are female. There's always room for growth, but we're extremely proud of that progress we've been able to make in that area.”

Daniel stresses the key leadership roles and influence of Pina Albo, Anita Kuchma, Megan Thomas and Gemma Carreiro at executive level.

“Pina is the first female CEO of a Bermuda-based company to ring the New York Stock Exchange bell and Hamilton was the first woman-led insurance company to go public in 20 years.”

Daniel emphasizes what he looks for an in an insurance executive search partner, including trust and third-party perspectives and insights.

He concludes by adding the one lesson his career has taught him, he thinks everyone should know.

“There are always other forms of information that come through to you as a professional, but having good, solid data to help you make decisions is such an important component.

The second aspect is the people. It all comes down to having a good culture and good people around you, with the right attitude and the right approach. We spend a lot of time at work, we want to work in good company.”

Connect with Daniel Fisher on LinkedIn or find out more about Hamilton Insurance Group

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