Brett Wainhouse has joined Delta Insurance as Head of Distribution, bringing more than 28 years' experience across the corporate and commercial insurance markets of New Zealand, Australia and the UK.
A passionate, born-and-bred Kiwi, Brett joins Delta having spent over 12 years in senior leadership at a global insurer - running the New Zealand business as General Manager, then leading the large and strategic States of Victoria and Tasmania based in Melbourne - before returning home with his wife Sarah and their two daughters.
Since starting in the role, we sat down with Brett to talk about his background, what drew him to Delta, and what brokers can expect from him.
I've had the good fortune of being both an underwriter and a broker over the years, and fundamentally, I love being in front of the customer and understanding their business and how we can help them. I still get a buzz of being in the middle of the action - getting deals done, growing a business, and building high performing and collaborative teams.
That said, I'm still a bit of an underwriter at heart, so I like the technical side too: understanding the flow of the business and what's really happening under the hood. Coming into Delta, there's a fresh energy and a good team here with some real talent, and I think it's an exciting new chapter -not just for me, but for Delta to reach the next level in the NZ market.
Coming home was really about family - we wanted to be back before our youngest started high school, and it was time, despite loving living and working in Melbourne A chance encounter with old colleagues at Delta in NZ got the conversation started, and the more I spoke with the team, the clearer it became hat Delta had the energy and direction I wanted for my next chapter - there are a lot of synergies with where I wanted to take my career next.
Apart from a decent Kiwi steak and cheese pie, it's the people I've missed most about New Zealand. We have a certain style of operating down here that's can-do, positive and refreshing, and I think there's real potential for companies like Delta to play a bigger part in this market. With 28 years across New Zealand, Australia and the UK behind me, I'm looking forward to bringing that experience home, rolling up my sleeves and getting stuck in.
Making sure there's a really clear message about what Delta needs to be and can do for brokers. For any business, ambiguity about how you operate just doesn't work. Delta has a track record of being agile and delivering strong service, solutions and products to its customers, underpinned by an excellent claims offering - something I also value and align with. Getting that message through consistently to our broking partners is a big part of what I want to focus on early in my new role.
First and foremost, it's trust. We trust you, you trust us - it's that simple. If we say we can't do something, we say so, and quickly, because there's nothing worse than being left hanging. Brokers respect being told straight. You're also only as good as your last deal, so it's about consistently giving brokers the right results and looking after them - not just at the front end, but through the whole relationship and especially at claim time. Practically, that means the simple things: picking up the phone, responding, being there, and not putting up hurdles that don't need to exist. A face-to-face meeting still counts for a lot whenever it is possible.
First, I want to get into the weeds of the business, the strategy, what's working, where we can do better, and how to prioritise those opportunities. It's also about the people: we've got a good team here, and I want to help keep that momentum going. Alongside that, I want to get a proper feel for where we stand with our brokers, where we are winning and what we can improve on so we can keep moving forward together and amplify our growth ambitions.
Being local and independent lets us move faster and stay closer to the customer and the brokers we work with. We've got good people who are genuinely available to trade, with a pro-active mindset, and brokers notice and respect that. Leading an agile team of market-facing underwriters means we can really get to know our brokers, understand their business, and deliver quality products and service to brokers and their customers they need.
Reach out. If you know me, you'll know I'm always up for a coffee - or a glass of wine, I'll admit I'm partial to that too. Whatever works best for you. I'd always rather be talking than not talking to you!
I'm a fair-to-average golfer, average being generous. I love football, although I'm too old and broken to play it myself these days, so I've resigned myself to watching Tottenham play (poorly) in the EPL and Auckland FC in the A-League.
I've been known to like a good glass of wine or a cold beer and have become an expert in donating to gyms. Outside of that, I've got two young girls who keep me busy on the sidelines and in the car as chief taxi driver - a role I take just as seriously!