Richard Enthoven is 2019 Insurance Leader of the Year

Proudly sponsored by DXC Technology in 2019, ANZIIF’s prestigious Insurance Leader of the Year Award is given to a true business leader who has embraced innovation to make a significant impact on and deliver significant benefit to the entire insurance industry.

AN ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER

The judges described this year’s winner, Hollard Insurance Chief Executive Officer Richard Enthoven, as ‘impressive and inspirational’.

Enthoven, who has achieved noteworthy success throughout his career, has made a significant contribution to the Australian insurance industry over the last 20 years.

He began his career working for American International Group before establishing Hollard Insurance in 1999.

In 2018, Hollard generated in excess of A$1 billion GWP.

EMBRACING INNOVATION

Enthoven is recognised as a true business leader, who has embraced innovation to grow the insurance industry.

He has grown Hollards’ business into the New Zealand market and has successfully achieved a 50 per cent gender equality ratio for both board and senior executive teams in 2018.

Enthoven has not only celebrated great achievements within his own business but has also helped raise the professionalism of the industry through his involvement with the Insurance Council of Australia.

NAVIGATING INDUSTRY ISSUES

According to the judges, Enthoven has shown an ‘impressive skill’ to navigate meaningful messages, while demonstrating a nuanced and balanced approach to the Hayne Royal Commission and responding to industry issues.

Enthoven is passionate about helping develop the next group of business leaders to further their careers by offering personal and team development programs.

HALL OF LEGENDS

He is seeding the industry with people who are prepared to change, and reviving organisations that may have plateaued.

He has also been a front-runner in the movement to change consumer standards and expectations on social issues such as domestic family violence, mental health and financial hardship.

The judges said Enthoven sits in the hall of legends for the industry.

‘He shows true leadership through a sole interest – to push the industry forward and continue to make it better,’ the judges said.

PRIDE AND HUMILITY

In his acceptance speech, Enthoven acknowledged feelings of both pride and embarrasment. 

'I believe that CEOs get far too much credit when things go well and typically don’t take near enough responsibility when they don’t,' he said. 'I know this to be the case at Hollard. 

'I feel pride because I realise that this award is in recognition of the body of work that has been undertaken by 700 Hollard team members  every day for two decades and I accept this award on their behalf.

ENORMOUS PRIVILEGE

In his capacity as ICA President, Enthoven adds that has been an enormous privilege to advocate for the insurance industry.

'It's an industry I've continued to believe in passionately during this tumultuous time,' he says. 

'And while the royal commission was a timely reminder that we can all do better, please let’s not forget the good we do every single day, especially when the weather turns nasty as it has this year on multiple occasions. 

'Our industry and our people make communities more resilient and allow families in this wonderful country to live their fullest lives.'

TENT IN A HURRICANE

Enthoven says in his role at the ICA he has made the launch of the new Code of Practice a priority.

To some extent, its been like pitching a tent in a hurricane. Nevertheless, in a few months hopefully we will have launched the code and it will help rebuild trust in the community and catalyse our industry by addressing social challenges such as domestic violence and mental health head on.

'That is something we can all be enormously proud of.'

Enthoven concedes that adopting the new code will stretch and challenge the industry.

'The sheer number and interplay of regulatory changes we are dealing with represent an enormous challenge to organisations large and small, but I urge you all to recognise the enormous opportunity we have to make a  different for our industry right now and the community at large.'