The measure of achievement

After nine years working in insurance, Whiteley established his own broking practice in 1984 at the age of 27. It grew rapidly and in 1987 Whiteley identified an opportunity to acquire a shareholding in Atkinson Smith, a well-respected Doncaster insurance broking house. Whiteley acquired the majority shareholding in the business as the then owners moved towards retirement.

He became managing director and initiated a range of expansion efforts including a number of local acquisitions. In September 2003 the ProAktive Group was formed, bringing together Atkinson Smith and Hull-based Rixon Matthews Appleyard. Whiteley works with fellow principal owner and managing director Ian Laycock and has a close relationship with York-based DE Fords.

A group that boasts six full-time advisers, risk management is the heart of ProAktive Risk Group's proposition. There is a health and safety and employment services offering that Whiteley sees as "a tremendous area for growth, particularly as the market hardens again," and a financial services arm with a turnover of near £1m in fees.

ProAktive's client base is predominantly commercial, servicing the SME sector, and there is less than 10% personal lines business. ProAktive's customers are based mainly in the south and east Yorkshire areas, but the broker is happy to go further afield when and where appropriate. The broker also has a nationwide reach with its Allseasons product for garden centres and glasshouses, care homes, risk management and self-build schemes.

Whiteley says: "Success is subjective and size is not the most important indicator." His standards for success are high, on which he comments: "We have developed a ProAktive square with four building blocks. Our aims are to be the best employer in insurance (he awards himself eight out of 10), to deliver excellence in customer service (seven out of 10), to be the insurer's broker of choice (six out of 10), to deliver the right financial returns (seven out of 10). Each one is a building block of our group, and each equally important." Although hard to judge, these ambitions appear great goals for all brokers to strive towards.

According to Whiteley, becoming the broker of choice means delivering insurers profitability and growth, which he admits is not easy but stresses is something everyone must try to achieve. He says: "We are looking for new business, but it is difficult as there is only a certain amount to go around. The most profitable brokers have a specialism and we would like to develop many more schemes."

ProAktive provides a good benefits package, and believes in the importance of a well structured work-to-life balance. Whiteley explains: "We want them to enjoy work and work really hard, but then at five o'clock go home and be with their families. We have a very strong social program and want people to be happy; we are a business, not a big, happy family."

The broker also works hard on career progression: "I believe that in insurance we can offer fantastic careers. It drives me crackers that insurance positions itself below the accountants, laywers, stockbrokers and banks. Why should that be? My view is that you can earn just as much in those areas and have a more diverse career, but we don't seem to sell this to the universities or schools." To address the issue he developed an academy to develop fresh talent, which, five years on, turns out ProAktive's new stars like clockwork.

Whiteley has some ambitious plans for the group. He explains: "We are acquisitive and are happy to take less than 100% equity in companies, which can be attractive to brokers that have a situation where they need assistance to allow for the exit of one of the equity holders but where others wish to remain and run the business. Our expansion plans are confined to businesses within a 50-mile radius of our current offices for now."

At the end of 2006, ProAktive joined broking group Brokerbility, a move that Whiteley describes as "a tremendous success". Though not a network in the traditional sense, it harnesses the strengths of similar sized brokers across the country.

Busy on all fronts, Whiteley shows initiative and staff investment are key to broking success.

PROAKTIVE RISK GROUP

Group chief executive: Jon Whiteley

Established: 2003

Number of offices: Three

Location: Hull, Doncaster, Rotherham

Number of staff: 120

Main line of business: SME

Gross premium income: £30m.