Profile
“Westfield Specialty and I have been trying to make sure we are opportunistic in the marketplace and that has allowed us to grow profitably and create a broader and more diversified portfolio”
Jack Kuhn
Westfield Specialty
Marni Jackson has 14 years’ experience in insurance across Australia and New Zealand, and in that time has worked in Product, Operations, Service Quality and Communications.
Marni is the Head of Product for Youi’s Motor products, taking the lead with product design and distribution and successfully navigating through a time of significant regulatory changes, a pandemic and high levels of inflation.
Before moving into Product, Marni was the Head of Operations for Youi New Zealand. Leading teams across Sales, Service and Claims, with a successful track record of executing the group strategy, lifting all aspects of performance through a well-rounded high-performance culture. She ended her time in NZ on a high, where Youi NZ was named as one of the Top Insurance Workplaces in NZ by Insurance Business in 2020.
Her passion for both people and impactful strategic change led her to join the Springboard Trust as a Capacity Partner, where she mentored a School Principal throughout their year-long journey of learning and applying the principles of strategic leadership to form their school's three-year strategic plan. Since moving back to Australia, she has continued with skills-based volunteering, joining the QLD Small Business Mentors for Growth Program.
2 Smart Drive, Sippy Downs, QLD 4553
0451 974 635
aimees@youi.com
au.linkedin.com/company/youi-insurance
youi.com.au
Marni Jackson
Head of Product
Youi
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Milestones
“The biggest challenge is getting everyone comfortable with the pace that I’m looking for to drive our buildout and growth. How I deal with it is by being open and transparent, and responsive to questions or concerns”
Jack Kuhn
Westfield Specialty
2009
2011
2017
2019
2020–present
Joined the Insurance Industry in Sales
May
2009
Service Quality and Communications Manager
Jan
2011
Head of Sales, Client Services and Retention
Feb
2017
Head of Operations for Youi NZ
Nov
2019
Aug 2020: Head of Product
Awarded Youi Product Office Star of the Year 2022
Elite Women in Insurance 2022
Awarded Top Insurance Workplaces when she was the Head of Operations at Youi NZ 2020
Accepted into the Springboard Trust NZ Skills-Based Volunteering program, mentoring a School Principal for 12 months to apply Strategic Leadership theory in creating and delivering their Strategic Plan
2020–
present
Assistant Vice President and Senior Broker at MJ Hall & Company since 2018
Present
Milestones
Aug 2022
Milestones
Sept 2021
Feb 2022
Apr 2022
Jul 2022
Aug
2022
Suncorp Bank introduces Solar Home Bonus offer for customers who are choosing renewable energy for their homes
Sept 2021
Month-on-month market share growth commences
Feb 2022
Suncorp Bank wins the Canstar award for most outstanding value in investment loans
Apr 2022
Suncorp Bank wins Money Magazine’s Bank of the Year and Business Bank of the Year awards for the fifth year in a row
Jul 2022
Suncorp Bank’s turnaround times are the lowest they have ever been. The lender becomes Australia’s first certified carbon neutral bank for both its operation and transaction services
Aug 2022
Milestones
Kuhn says, “I would say my career has been one of more of chance and opportunities than a set plan. And it’s interesting how one decision has a ripple effect on putting you on a different path than maybe where you thought you would be.”
He highlights his spell at Endurance as his biggest professional achievement to date.
“It took some time, but we took them from really being viewed as a reinsurance company to being viewed as a global insurance company.”
It’s this type of innovative attitude that is powering Westfield Specialty forward so successfully.
Kuhn explains, “Westfield Specialty and I have been trying to make sure we are opportunistic in the marketplace and that has allowed us to grow profitably and create a broader and more diversified portfolio.”
Part of this has seen the firm acquire the existing Lloyd’s of London Syndicate 1200 in February 2023. It is also Kuhn’s ingenuity that has allowed Westfield Specialty to outperform expectations in challenging market conditions.
“I would say it’s been the understanding that there is a limited window of time. We're in this unique market, we need to be fast and decisive to take advantage of market opportunities before the market begins to move away,” he comments. “Additionally, I'd like to say we move with a lot of speed, but we do it in a thoughtful and methodical approach, not just to be the first.”
However, it has been an intricate process to ensure his team are onboard with his vision. Kuhn places importance of explaining his targets and the blueprint to achieve them.
He adds, “The biggest challenge is getting everyone comfortable with the pace that I’m looking for to drive our buildout and growth. How I deal with it is by being open and transparent, and responsive to questions or concerns. This way, everything gets thoroughly discussed and resolved.”
With almost four decades in the industry, Kuhn has developed methods that have consistently delivered. It is why he has been tasked with so many leadership roles and he intends to maintain his focus on creating more success at Westfield Specialty.
“I think I am and have always tried to be methodical. I look at the big picture yet stay focused on executing the different opportunities or plans that I have in front of me. I don’t get emotional or make emotional decisions.”
Chief underwriting officer of executive risk at Chubb
President of financial insurance solutions at Kemper
Chief underwriting officer at Axis Capital
CEO of global Insurance at Endurance
CEO of global Insurance at Sompo International
Kuhn joined Westfield Specialty in the firm’s first year (2021) and has established the company’s presence in the specialty market. By the end of 2023, the firm is expected to surpass $1.3 billion in GWP after writing $300 million in 2021.
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