Ep164 Andrew Horton QBE: An injection of pace

Today’s guest is Andrew Horton Group CEO of QBE insurance.His job is to run a global insurer and reinsurer that writes over $20bn in gross premium that originates from almost every market in the world.The business has just posted a very solid set of results and at the same time issued guidance for this good run to continue in 2023.Andrew has been in post for around 18 months and in this podcast it becomes clear that he has had enough time in charge to start to execute some of his own vision. It’s not wholesale change, but it is quietly radical. QBE has been built and integrated by his predecessors over the last 20 years, so the job today is not about filling in gaps with acquisitions. The group is already global and hugely diversified.Today’s job is about optimising the business’s global processes, product and people to create a consistently profitable, and innovative firm that can continue to grow organically. This is clearly easier said than done, particularly in a business run as three divisions and present in almost every time zone on the planet. And that is the core of the interview today. Andrew is a very thoughtful and very accessible leader. His ideas on how to make a large global business more cohesive, coherent and consistent while at the same time being fast-paced, nimble and efficient are extremely valuable. He is trying to bring a small enterprise mindset to a huge global insurance group and that is a radical goal to try and pursue.From today’s talk I wouldn’t bet against him. I can highly recommend a close listen. LINKSWe thank our naming sponsor AdvantageGo:https://www.advantagego.com/