Staying curious and building international collaboration - with James Tait, CEO and Brett Laker, Head of North America, UnderwriteMe

“Remote working and hybrid work environments have actually been really helpful in breaking down barriers between global teams”, says James as he shares the journey of growth at UnderwriteMe has been on over the last decade. Launched in 2012 as a marketplace to make life insurance easier to buy and sell, CEO, James and Head of North America, Brett Laker, discuss the rapid expansion the business has achieved in the UK, US and Canada as well as Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia. They give insight in to the value proposition for carriers and customers and highlight the differences between the North American and UK & European markets. Discussing the challenges to growth, James says, “The biggest challenge has been prioritising what we tackle first and picking the right markets. Particularly relevant now is recruiting the right people into the business, It’s always something that's fundamental to the company's success.”Emphasising the business’ cultural values of collaboration, curiosity and doing the right thing, James and Brett share the positive impact of remote-working and the value insurance knowledge brings to the team. “It's finding somebody who can bring all that knowledge, but also kind of change how they approach things”, says Brett. James and Brett conclude by sharing their advice to leaders looking to scale an insurtech or for people looking to move in to a more tech-driven business. “If you've got the right culture and you recruit people who believe what you believe, that's fundamental to your success”, says James. Connect with James Tait or Brett Laker on LinkedIn or find out more about opportunities at UnderwriteMe UK or UnderwriteMe North America  The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is hosted by Nick Hoadley, CEO, Insurance Search, the Executive Search Consultancy for growing Insurance and Insurtech businesses across the globe.To discuss identifying & attracting the very best talent to your team or being a podcast guest, reach out to Nick via [email protected] or connect on LinkedInCopyright Insurance Search 2022 – All Rights Reserved.