Ep159 James Baird & Paul Richards Co-CEOs Consilium: Do you pass the barbecue test?

Today’s guests are a pair of broking executives clearly relishing an opportunity to lead a business through a period of accelerated growth in a market that is extremely favourable.

James Baird (pictured left) and Paul Richards (right) are co-CEOs and Managing Partners of Consilium, the wholesale and specialist insurance and reinsurance broker that is part of the expansive Aventum group.

Aventum Group CEO David Bearman laid down a marker back in Episode 82 almost two years ago and it’s worth re-listening to that podcast to put this one into context:

https://www.thevoiceofinsurance.com/podcast/episode/33b1d9c1/ep-82-david-bearman-ceo-aventum-dont-walk-into-a-crowded-room

This encounter is a tour de force. Whilst both James and Paul have worked together for most of their long careers they are relatively new arrivals to the Aventum fold.

But you wouldn’t know from listening in here – the two are brimming with enthusiasm for their new home.

Consilium already places $500mn of Gross Written Premium and has incredibly ambitious growth targets, but what is refreshing is that we aren’t talking about a familiar tale of private Equity backing, debt leverage, M&A and exit multiples.

Here we are only using those terms to define what Consilium isn’t.

And that’s what’s so fascinating. Consilium is a young broker with an average age way below that of these two interviewees and this interviewer.

It has a progressive mindset on the application of tech in broking, much of which it develops in-house, yet in other ways it is incredibly traditional, balking at debt leverage, external equity investment and M&A for volume.

The calculation here is that by growing organically whatever it loses in leverage the broker wins culturally, because it only hires people it feels will fit in and buy into the intermediary’s more stable culture.

It also banks on that solid environment being a plus for customers who benefit from continuity of service.

It’s definitely different. And with 30% organic growth on the cards, it certainly seems to be doing something right!

Listen on for a really interesting and refreshing encounter. James speaks first.

NOTES:
Some Abbreviations.
GL is General Liability and the ULR and ILR are respectively the Ultimate and Incurred Loss Ratios.

LINKS
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