Lombard Partners Day: “Passionate about partnerships”

Lombard Partnerships recently hosted the hugely successful Lombard Partners Day at Shepstone Gardens in Johannesburg.

“Each year we host Partners Day to touch base with the underwriting management agencies that we partner with,” says Lombard Partnerships managing executive Doug Laburn. “Lombard has strategic partnerships with several leading South African UMAs across many niche industries. The day brings everyone together at the beginning of the year to discuss burning industry and market issues and opportunities.”

CN&CO has been working with Lombard Partnerships since late last year, helping the business to move towards its broader strategic marketing and communication objectives.

Here are some of our favourite quotes from the Lombardians who spoke at the event:

“We sell trust, which revolves around solid relationships. Relationships are the only differentiator, and the true test of relationships is their resilience in hard times. We need to be creative and find ways to incrementally improve what we do daily, to consistently improve the way our clients and partners experience doing business with us.” – Miles Japhet, chairperson 

“Great brands speak with one voice. How we do things internally must match what we say and do externally. Lombard is a brand that holds connections, internal and external, at the core of everything we do. Our new brand identity reflects this – it’s bold, vibrant, beautifully modern, and has connections at its heart. The passion that the new brand has instilled within the business is visible and exciting to be a part of.” – Tracy Kachelhoffer, marketing manager 

“The Lombard brand values centre largely around co-operation, honesty and straightforwardness. We’re looking to achieve major scale in the business within these brand values. I joined this incredible team just on 12 months ago, as the economy took a turn for the worse! But as Miles said, the true test of a business’s resilience is its ability to make it through the tough times. I know we’ll get there – we have great people in our camp.” – James Orford, CEO 

The rest of the day included some fantastic guest speakers. These were some of their quotes:

Caroline da Silva, deputy executive for FAIS at the FSB

“The FSB is adopting a more holistic approach to how we monitor compliance, rather than the traditional tick-the-box, one-size-fits-all system. We want – and need! – to constantly engage more with the industry and work together to make compliance something that works for everyone in a constructive way.” – Caroline da Silva, deputy executive officer for FAIS at the FSB

“It is clear after listening to Caroline today that the FSB is a body that is 100% for and with rather than against the insurance industry. What compliance is doing is rooting out those in the industry who give us a poor reputation. At the end of the day, we all have the same end goal. To give our collective client, the insured, the best and most suitable cover.” – Carel Nolte of CN&CO, who emceed the event

“Business for brokers is as exciting and prosperous as ever. Relationships have always been the name of the game. Having great relationships with underwriters allows us to deliver a superior service and product to our clients.” – Rhett Barker of Barker Insurance Brokers

“Technology should be embraced as an enormous enabler for better service to clients. It is not something to be afraid of. The tools available today to manage data will make underwriter, insurer and broker all far more competitive. It is not something that belongs exclusively to the major direct players” – Graham Harvey of iPlatform

The day ended with a lively Q&A session, facilitated by Carel, followed by Doug’s wrap-up:

“Lombard Partnerships is there to facilitate and walk this journey with its UMA partners,” said Doug. “The expert and independent advice that the UMA businesses can offer, must and will be protected at all times. Lombard is there to assist by taking the lead on providing the right platform to build businesses on, including compliance, technology and other best practice initiatives that will ensure that we all thrive during the year ahead.”