Broking break: And finally

My hidden talent

I got into water polo at a young age, it being a natural progression from swimming for my local club, plus my dad has played for years and still does despite being in his 70s!

My involvement in the sport has taken me all over the world and I was fortunate enough to play in a number of home internationals for Wales, winning the Seven Nations Tournament in 1993.

I started out as a junior playing for the Southern Counties and worked my way to joining the most renowned club in England called The Polytechnic, winning six British Championships between 1990 and 1995.

Water polo is still an underrated sport in the UK but in my opinion, is one of the toughest to play – imagine trying to play rugby while swimming.

As with any team sport, when you get to a competitive level, it requires time, commitment and dedication, something I’ve carried with me in my career.

Staying fit is still extremely important to me and I’m not quite ready to throw in the towel yet. In April I’m off to Spain to play for our GB Masters team in a four-day televised tournament.

Neil Pearce, chief executive officer, Bishopsgate Insurance

Why I chose insurance

Insurance actually chose me, rather than the other way round.

I was about to start college when I got a call from a friend saying the company she had just started working for needed another office junior. I went in the following day for an interview, and started with Mann Broadbent the next!

Fortunately, I find that insurance is more interesting than many think, particularly in the sports industry, which is what I specialise in. The people element is fascinating and some of the claims can be very engaging.

Anita Devereux, scheme manager, Mann Broadbent

Pet of the month

Lou - Farmers and Mercantile Insurance Brokers’ Yorkshire office dog

Lou is 7 years old, a Border Terrier/Jack Russell, he loves food and playing with his toy tiger called Andrew

On the spot

Stanhope Coopers’ MD William Cooper on books, food and adrenaline

▶ My favourite book is…
…Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.

▶ When I was a child I wanted to be a…
…professional footballer. Sorry!

▶ The funniest person in insurance is…
…Mark Bower-Dyke.

▶ The three foods I could not live without are…
…porridge, chocolate and bananas.

▶ My dream job would be…
…Zane Lowe’s at Apple Music.

▶ My best moment in insurance (so far!) was…
…winning new business. The adrenaline hit is addictive.

William Cooper, managing director of Stanhope Cooper

Tweet of the month