Polaris imarket project

It could be argued that the Polaris imarket project is the seminal IT initiative threatening to drag the industry into the 21st century.

While critics may argue it has taken longer than it should have to get it to this stage, many others are thankful that it has been assembled with care to ensure it does not fall over. Overheard was therefore taken aback when it came to our earwigging ears that Polaris managing director, Martin McLachlan, sent Amanda Blanc, Groupama's recently appointed distribution and customer service director, an email attachment that not only disabled her laptop but apparently took the IT department a month to revive. Although Overheard never did find out the nature of the attachment, we are sure it was strictly above board.

When Colin Calder, head of broker development at Axa Insurance, told Overheard he was hidden away in the attic, he wasn't joking. On arrival at Axa's Reading office, Overheard wandered around the half-empty building as the security guard in charge of reception was on a break. When he finally reappeared, Overheard was sent to the wrong floor, but eventually found the small room at the top of the building where Calder is located. On leaving the building Overheard decided not to sign out ... it would have been unfair to wake the security guard who was taking an afternoon nap.

Overheard has been told that The Folgate Partnership and Towergate Underwriting Group are going to reinvent the business by training managers of the future at its recently launched Academy. However, according to Peter Cullum, chairman of both groups, no one over the age of 50 will be required to take the exams. So we really can expect to see a totally new look.