Skip to main content

George's story

Introducing George

Development Executive for Marsh

Introducing George

Development Executive for Marsh

The best part of my job in the Insurance industry is the wide variety of people who appreciate the importance of relationships; the industry thrives upon face-to-face connections and values meeting-of-minds. It is an industry that has enabled me to develop myself in a similar way to the military.
George Dagnall

Service and Corps/Regiment, Rank, last day in Military.

10 Years, Army, Rifles Regiment, Corporal, 10 October 2018 

What has been your experience of the LMN Placement Programme? How do you feel it has helped with your transition into the insurance industry?

The LMN programme has been built up from a firm foundation of networking and reputation. From being able to meet with former candidates, I gained a better perspective of what the Insurance  industry may look and feel like. 

Following an LMN insight day in 2017, I met with 10+ attendees over coffee to pick their brains and learn more. Each former programme candidate/committee member was able to introduce me to another individual in the industry and I quickly felt part of a community. It was from one of these meetings I received an offer of employment from my former CEO in JLT Specialty, even before the Internship had taken place. 

The placement programme members are a great resource, so make sure to use it! For me, it is where I was fortunate enough to be offered a job.

Please describe your role and what specific skills you feel you have developed within your military career that assist you in this position?

I am a Development Executive for our European Real Estate Practice in Marsh. My main focus is to identify and build new business. The key skills that enabled me to land this role would be communication and the ability to identify the key areas of risk or interest and come up with solutions for clients or prospects. 

During my military career, I assessed and triaged risk on a daily basis. Although the nature of these risks is different, there are crossovers in the analysis and actions required in my current role. 

What is the best bit about your job in the insurance industry and how does that compare to the military?

From joining the Army aged sixteen I have enjoyed working closely with people regularly. I did not want to lose that style of working environment, so I was largely interested in an industry that could utilise my extroverted nature. The best part of my job in the Insurance industry is the wide variety of people who appreciate the importance of relationships; the industry thrives upon face-to-face connections and values meeting-of-minds. It is an industry that has enabled me to develop myself in a similar way to the military.

What’s been the biggest challenge for you moving from the military to insurance?

Coming out of the military I noticed a difference in management and leadership. Initially, I perceived that there were inefficiencies of how it operated or was conducted, making me feel slightly on edge as I felt that things could not be done correctly. However, as I continued to observe I began to appreciate the different styles of management more.  

As we know from our time in the military, it is valuable to gain a deeper understanding of people to get the most out of each other, so if you are successful and become employed by the Insurance Industry, I would recommend observing the differences of leadership styles without passing judgement too quickly. Seek to identify the benefits of alternative methods and recognise how employees might respond differently in comparison to the military. By doing so, you may be able to establish an effective blend of all leadership styles, helping you to make the most of your future in the industry.

What is the biggest lesson you've learnt in your time in the insurance industry?

I felt comfortable with extreme pressures in the military, however, small pressures such as paperwork deadlines had me feeling slightly overwhelmed initially. The lesson learnt would be that if there are lots of things going on, remember to keep yourself organised at all times.

What advice would you give service leavers looking to pursue a career within the insurance industry?

Understand what your personal motivations are, do your research on the areas you feel are suited then develop your personal brand. Understanding what drives you will enable you to articulate where you see yourself fitting in the industry. Roles in the insurance industry could be flexed and your job could be shaped around you, having this awareness may prove useful when discussing your next career.