Get to Know Your Council - August Release

Name: Ren Stock

Occupation/Industry Experience:

Returning to Norwich after a year of backpacking around Australia, I started at Aviva’s Horizon centre in the motor insurance customer service department, more out of chance than intention.

Just under two years later, when the fixed term contract ended and I was discussing potential roles with recruiters, I decided I wanted to stay within Insurance as I had begun to see the scale of the career opportunities available and this led to me joining a local SME broker, Drayton Insurance Services.

During my six and a half years at Drayton I undertook a range of positions, including six months in Ipswich, with my position for the final two years being manager of the commercial department.

In January 2021, I remotely joined the FinPro department at Marsh as a Client Manager, as well as more recently taking on Deputy Team Leader responsibilities. As the world is starting to open back up, I’ve now been able to start coming into the office and meet my new teammates & colleagues.

How long have you been on the Insurance Institute of Norwich’s Council?

I have only recently joined the council within the last three months, during the latest lockdown.

What is your role, and what does it involve?

Currently, I am just a council member and have not yet taken a role on any of the working groups as I’m currently renovating my house (DIY SOS style!) although am looking to take extra duties in the coming months.

Why did you decide to join the Council?

As I have found out over the last eight years, Insurance is very much a relationship based industry and joining the council allows me to build my network, accessing people that I might not otherwise have met.

What are you most looking forward in the forthcoming year on the Council?

As such I’ve only just joined the council, the only meetings I’ve had have been remotely, so I’m looking forward to actually meeting other people on the council and attending events in person.

Tell us one unusual fact about yourself

I almost died from a papercut!

Working in retail, just before my 18th birthday, I received a papercut whilst cashing up one evening, by the next morning I was in hospital on a drip as I had contracted septicaemia from the £5 note.