Page 160 - Be Reasonable – Do It My Way , Peter E. Daly AM, My Story

CHAPTER 15 – CONCORD INSURANCE GROUP (CONCORD)
the period of intense negotiation over the business we had many occasions to play tennis with Phil and whenever I saw him looking over the net I tried to drill him. But he had quick reflexes! As I returned to my position Ron said to me “what are you trying to do, we need him”!
Then the inevitable happened again. There was another merger - this time between Mercantile Mutual and QBE. This merger proceeded much like the original L&G and Norwich Union merger in South Africa. The two management teams got on exceptionally well and it was a question of business as usual.
Credit for this outcome has to go to Frank O’Halloran, Phil Sherriff and Terry Ibbotson. There was a good cultural fit, unlike that between CIC and NWIA, many of the old NWIA team also came across to join Concord.
By this time in 1988 I had become Chairman of Concord, (which I remained until 2006 when Concord sold to QBE). I must say that all of us at Concord and Mercantile Mutual had a fantastic relationship thanks to Phil and his team.
Today, as I write, the relationship with the Concord team continues as strong as ever even though the businesses moved on. (Eventually QBE bought Concord outright, enabling the management team to retire).
Just like for me, retirement did not last long for Ron. He has turned his hand back to his roots and is again running a successful broking company with his fingers in many pies. He tells me that he is now the Chairman but I’m sure he doesn’t do the agenda and minutes anything like as well as
I did.
Ron and myself enjoying a good glass of St Henri together
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