Getting to Know You: Mark Trumper

In our latest 'Getting to Know You' Q&A, we spent some time with Mark Trumper to learn more about him and his role as MD for Wilmington plc's Axco Insurance Information, as he celebrates his first year with the business:

1)????Hi Mark, first please tell us a bit about yourself:

"I grew up in Kent and now live in Staffordshire – although my route there has been pretty nomadic as I have lived in a number of different places over the years, including three years in San Diego, California and three more in New York, New York.

I studied Biology at Aston University in Birmingham – a subject that was and still is a passion of mine. I took that knowledge and got a sales role with a pharmaceutical company. Over the next two years I learnt a lot and spent way too much time in GP’s waiting rooms!

Next I took my sales experience and got a role with a software company, which marked the start of a long stretch working with a variety of technology and information businesses. In that time I held a variety of different sales roles before moving into operational leadership and general management.

I’d like to think that this gives me a well-rounded background, with a blend of commercial and operational experience."

2)????What do you do at Wilmington?

"I am the MD of Axco Insurance Information. Axco employs about 60 people who are focused on delivering the information and intelligence that our customers need to make good decisions.

We work mainly with insurers, reinsurers and brokers who work on an international basis and need to understand how to do business in a variety of countries across the globe.

As MD, a large part of my role is making sure that our teams are aligned and focused on the right priorities that will help us to serve our customers and grow the business. Beyond that I try to create the right conditions across the team so that our people can be their best and succeed – sometimes that just means getting out of their way!"

3. What have you learnt about yourself/ life/ work over the last year during Covid?

"A few things:

-???????How beneficial getting outside is for my mental health. An early morning walk gives me a totally different outlook on the day.

-???????What amazing people my children are. We’ve spent much more time together than we would usually have done and I am so thankful for the opportunity that has given me to get to know them better during an important time in their growth and development.

-???????How much I value in-person collaboration. I’m an introvert and usually do quite well in my own company but there are times – especially when trying to work on more complex issues – where I really value in person collaboration. You can do a lot on Teams but sometimes you really need some coffee, biscuits, and a session on the white board!"

?4.?What is your most memorable career moment?

"In a previous role, I was part of a leadership group tasked with bringing together about 200 people from across the globe, forming a new business unit. We wanted to bring that group together, lay out our plans, and start to build relationships across the team. As a venue we wanted somewhere that was different and was ‘neutral ground’ – neither the US nor Europe. We settled on Iceland and had a fantastic meeting in Reykjavik: I’ll never forget the trip to the Blue Lagoon and sharing a beer in the warm water, faces covered in volcanic mud, with colleagues from as far afield as San Francisco and Sydney!"

5. What is your secret to making progress each day?

Eat the frog..!

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If you would be interested in taking part in a future team Q&A, do please register your interest with?Esther Osborn FCIPD.

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