A Day in the Life of Beazley's Brandon Wilkerson

In this week's 'A Day in the Life of... interview' Beazley's Brandon Wilkerson shares more into his role as a Cyber and Technology Errors and Omissions Underwriter.

Hi Brandon, can you tell us a bit about your role and how you got here? 

My role is a Cyber and Technology Errors & Omissions Underwriter for Beazley Plc. Beazley is a specialty insurance company specializing in unique, hard to place insurance risks. I began at Beazley out of University and have now been with the company for over four years. I started in the Atlanta, Georgia office in the Accelerated Underwriting Training program and was fortunate enough to be placed on the Cyber Risks team in Los Angeles, California. Since then, I have taken a secondment position in our London headquarters allowing me to experience the London market and international business. In doing so, I am closer to Beazley’s trading markets, global initiatives, overall decision-making, and direct efforts with our community partners.

By nature, I work hard and expect the best out of myself. When hard work is combined with a management team that challenges you, supports you, and advocates for your growth it breeds positive results. I very much appreciate Beazley and the people I have around me that have been instrumental in getting me to where I am today.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I am an early riser and don’t like to be rushed. Mornings are critical for me to eat breakfast, get ready for the office, and ease into my day. Once at my desk, most mornings involve responding to e-mails, perhaps a cup of coffee that I don’t like but agree to drink because it’s there, and prioritizing my to-do list. Underwriting involves a lot of problem solving, negotiation, and decision-making. Most of my day consists of asking the right questions, finding ways to solve insurance needs, and coming to the best conclusion that is fit for purpose of the insured, broker, and Beazley.  

What part of your role do you enjoy the most? 

I enjoy providing a positive experience for others. In many cases, it’s helping to solve a need which can look different every day. It may involve joining phone calls, giving presentations, providing feedback to peers, or helping to make business decisions. I enjoy representing Beazley, being a resource to others, and helping to move the business forward in whichever way is needed.  

Which top three skills are vital for this role and why? 

1.     Service: Professionalism, patience, and a ‘people-first’ attitude combine to become a fundamental part of a customer-centric approach. This mindset is crucial to both business and career success because it directly correlates with professional relationships. Insurance is known to be a relationship-oriented business as this is the key component to building loyalty and trust, thereby furthering professional and company growth.  

2.     Analytical-Mindset: Underwriting involves asking the right questions, evaluating the exposure, and determining whether or not a carrier is comfortable deploying the limits, deductible, and premium for the risk. In a way, it’s professional gambling. The insurance company is the “house” that is betting on the risk. An underwriter must be capable of drawing on resources available to them, and personal experience to make a judgement that will hopefully lead to profitable results. Without thoughtful deployment of limits and premiums, the insurance company runs the risk of unsustainable losses.  

3.     Entrepreneurship: Underwriters are responsible for developing, servicing, and maintaining their book of business. They are the sole proprietor of the successes and failures which mandate their relationships and define their book. This includes building a professional brand, marketing, networking, critical and creative thinking, strategic planning, teamwork and lastly, leadership functions of running that book. Without a self-motivated attitude and the ability to get things done, it is difficult to establish oneself as an expert in their career.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your role? 

Like many jobs, desk management can be difficult. There are only so many hours in a day which can make it challenging to be everything to everyone. This can be eased through organization, time management, and learning how you work best for prioritizing your day. I’m fortunate in that Beazley allows and openly encourages employees to structure work weeks best suited for their day-to-day schedules.  

How do you help others feel like they belong in your team/promote inclusion? 

It starts with yourself. Do you question your own actions or thoughts? Are you self-aware of the words you use and how they’re spoken? How do you treat others? I do my best to treat everyone the same irrespective of status, identity, orientation, etc. I am genuinely interested in my peers, I listen intently, ask the questions that come to mind in conversation, and am driven to learn more about diversity and inclusion. In doing so, my hope is that I allow others to recognize some of their own biases and how we can have productive conversations around improving inclusion inside and outside of the workplace without judgement.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 

This answer looks different every year as I mature and gain new experiences. My job is to learn as much as I can, take advantage of the opportunities afforded to me, and continue exploring my interests. I have ambitious goals for myself and while the end result may change, I know at the end of the day that I want to be a resource for others. The more I learn, the larger the impact I can have at an enterprise level. I love what I do and who I get to work with. My hope is that this continues wherever my career takes me.

Which podcast or YouTube series would you recommend to someone interested in pursuing a career in this area to help develop their skills/prepare them for the role? 

Staying informed at every level is equally important as understanding industry trends. Most mornings I listen to “Up First” by NPR which is a short briefing of world events offering a close to unbiased perspective.