Page 140 - Be Reasonable – Do It My Way , Peter E. Daly AM, My Story

CHAPTER 13 - NORWICH WINTERTHUR INSURANCE AUSTRALIA LTD
by swapping to his left. He also loved to party and many a late night was had with Free.
Once he visited the UK and paid his respects to Norwich. He then had an evening out with the Managing Director. Some time in the afternoon, here in Australia we got a call from Mary his wife who asked where was Free? We were able to explain that he was out with the Managing Director in the UK but she said I know that because she was also in London. “It’s now gone midnight and he has still not returned to the hotel.” This forced us to telephone the Managing Director who told us that he was still having a final drink before he put Free in the cab. Free eventually telephoned to let us know that he had arrived!
Free was also Chairman of Lanes Motors in Melbourne. This turned out to be very useful when I decided I needed a Mercedes as my company car. I still have my 1984 Mercedes today which I keep at our flat in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast and it is as immaculate now as it was when it was new.
On arriving in Australia, my first task was to create an air of optimism, introducing planning at all levels of management to ensure I carried management and staff on the journey. My message was that there were great opportunities but you had to work hard to achieve results. At that time, Norwich Winterthur was a well- respected insurance company dealing mainly in domestic agency and small business markets with a few large accounts emanating from the parent company in the UK. This was not dissimilar to what was happening in South Africa except that in South Africa Aegis was developing the Broker market where there were greater opportunities for growth and profitability.
The New Norwich Winterthur Management Team
Besides the Business and Corporate Plans, I was also in a position to set up a new management structure which saw the appointment of Geoff Peacock as Assistant General Manager in control of underwriting and marketing. I had a high regard for Geoff’s underwriting ability. He had also been with the company for over
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