60 second interview
Nigel Walsh
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Job title
Managing Director of Insurance, Google

How did you get into insurance?
I was asked to join Capgemini as a safe pair of hands to help establish and grow the insurance industry practice, and I've never looked back since!

What you love about it?
When you understand the history, how it came about, the people that are behind it - then it's hard not to absolutely love. Then you see the 100,000s of customers that use it and are restored back to a pre-loss condition every single day. A happy place. It drives me mad when all I see is negative headlines about claims not being paid. You have to just look to see how much and how many are paid. It's huge, 95% in most cases. I guess these don't make great headlines when it does what it says on the tin. Do we get it right all the time? Of course not. But we apply common sense, empathy, compassion and so much more.

What you hate about it?
Its negative reputation from folks who either don't understand, have never bothered to understand it or think it's ok to defraud others by stretching the truth. I'm on a personal mission to make insurance loveable, and we can only do that through better education, engagement and new products.

Best professional achievement
Taking ideas from inception through strategy through execution, to live in market. Nothing is more exciting than working with customers to bring a joint vision to life. It never gets old. No matter how big or small. That and the fact my son said to me recently, "I want to be in business like you, because you always have fun!"

Biggest challenge facing the sector?
Our perception that we don't pay claims and that we will do anything not to pay. Add to that talent shortage world over right now. If we don't tell people how cool this sector is, do you join an insurance company or do you join a start-up or big tech company? Well, obviously the answer is joining Google serving insurance. (I am totally biased here.)

Biggest opportunity?
Changing the way we engage people with new products and business models for the next generation.

Which gadget could you not live without?
My iPhone. My Peleton. Does this need to be asked? You just wanted me to say Peloton, right?

Football team?
Watford FC. Come on you Horns!

Desert island discs?
Elton John - I've been a fan for years and he's been back at number 1 with another firm fav of mine, Dua Lipa - Disco & Elton - win win win
Earth Wind & Fire - I am a Disco Diva at heart!
Coldplay - have grown up listening to them and seeing them with my wife Emma across the world.


Biggest vice?
Snacking on chocolate buttons or biscuits. One is never enough.

How do you unwind at weekends?
I have two young kids and an amazing wife. What is this unwind? I love being Dad's taxi. Even at 06:00am on Sundays to the Ice Rink. I coach the football team for my son's u13 team. I sit in a McDonald's having a coffee on Sunday mornings reading the Sunday Times. I go to bootcamp, I cycle, I walk, I run (slowly). I can't sit still to be fair.