Coffee Cup Corner: Q&A with Roberto Simone, Risk Development Executive
Full name: Roberto Simone
Job title: Risk Development Executive
How long have you worked
at Xenia?
I have worked at Xenia since April 2020, which was
a few weeks into the first COVID quarantine, following the acquisition
of our division at Howden by Nexus, now renamed as Kentro.
What this
role means/area is:
I am the
risk development executive for the business, working in both portfolio and new
business classifications. It’s otherwise known as the credit risk analyst.
What do
you like about Xenia/Why do you like working for Xenia?
I am an
advocate of businesses that think forward, invest in growth and challenge the
status quo. Xenia is certainly a business that follows such a trajectory and
this excites me.
Furthermore,
while it grows at a very impressive but controlled rate, the business maintains
its early mantras and ethos of being people oriented and agile enough to cater
for businesses of many sizes and shapes. This continues to form the basis of
our practice, and reputation in the market, so the future is certainly bright.
Given the
early challenges we faced with COVID, we have become an even stronger outfit
that embraces a spirit not many companies have in their locker, and this is a
competitive advantage.
A piece
of advice you'd give your younger self?
Believe in
yourself and all will be well.
What's
your most commonly asked question in your job role and how would you answer it?
Or a top tip using your expert advice:
Success
breeds complacency, complacency breeds failure… only the paranoid survive! A
truism embraced by myself that certainly compliments the credit risk ethos and
its fundamentals. Practice this mantra and the rest will fall into place.
How did
you get into the insurance sector?
Like the
majority in the industry, by chance. Previously working in a commercial finance
capacity for a bank following graduation, an opportunity presented itself to
work in the wonderful world of trade credit… and here I am today.
What do
you enjoy most about your role?
The variety
it provides, as well as helping clients with credit risk issues and acting as a
source of information and intelligence for clients, colleagues and a range of
audiences.
Where do
you see Xenia going over the next few years?
Continued
expansion and elevating itself to one of the majors in the space. It’s likely
to see a learning culture evolve with diversification being a strong arm to the
organisational strategy - but still be renowned as credit risk specialists. A
very exciting interstellar journey is just beginning.
Tell us
something most people don't know about you/what's your hidden talent?
I used to
mix trance music and produced the odd track or two back in the day.
What job
would you be doing if you weren't doing this one?
I always
aspired to be a fighter pilot but never pursued it, so would have probably
followed a path in sports journalism. Growing up I also wanted to be a
professional footballer and at one stage it seemed I had the ability, qualities
and technical prowess… but it wasn’t meant to be. I still have a deep passion
for the beautiful game, though.
What
would you say to a young person who wants to get into insurance?
Just do it!
It’s such a great career move with variety, challenge, networking and travel,
just some of the main aspects.
Who's
your greatest hero or heroine and why?
Pure and
simple, my late father for the values that made me the person I am today. For
this I am thankful.In addition,
I have always been fond and inspired by Sylvester Stallone given his drive,
determination and eventual success - and of course his Italian heritage. I am
also a massive Rocky fan too as the saga has a momentous link to my life,
especially in my early years. It also embodies many associations with my own
development reflected in a number of the motivational quotes heard throughout
the film franchise. One in particular: “Never give up!”
What do
you do to relax?
Apart from spending time with
my children, I like to keep active with mixed martial arts (MMA) and going to
the gym. Plus socialising with friends, listening to a variety of music,
watching films and football, reading books and engaging in continuous learning
about life, business and the cosmos.
To find out more about the
people behind Xenia head over to last month’s Coffee Club Corner episode
with our colleague, Lisa Humphries.