Paddy in the spotlight ??

First things first, the important stuff:?

• Coffee or Tea: Coffee??
• Steak or a Parma: Steak every day of the week (also it’s called a Parmi)???
• Beach or City: I go red like a beetroot so let’s go with the city ????
• Would you rather have 3 arms but can only use one or 4 legs that all function??4 legs and watch me storm down the outside of the track at Randwick on a Saturday ????

Life as an underwriter

There are a few aspects that I enjoy. I like to communicate with brokers and workshop deals to achieve a positive client result, and I find that in turn brokers really appreciate this. ?

Going above and beyond for brokers is something that I personally aim to do, as I find it fulfilling when a broker communicates how appreciative they and the clients are – makes it feel like it isn't just a name on the screen. ?

I also like being an underwriter as it allows me to continue to build my industry knowledge, seeing new scenarios every day and finding out how to treat them.?

Life as a BDM

I found my secondment as a BDM challenging although extremely rewarding. ?

I was initially quite nervous and had no idea what I was getting myself into. However, after the first few weeks, I began to gain some comfort in the role. ?

It was eye-opening as to how many sides of the business that a BDM must communicate with, the relationships that must be maintained, and real knack for problem solving – a lot of questions are thrown that you may not know the answer to, but it's part of the job to find the right answer. I felt like I knew a person in every department of ubank by the end of my stint trying to find these answers! ?

What I really enjoyed was the face-to-face interactions that I got the opportunity to be involved in, internally and externally, and watching how the other BDM's work their magic. I was also able to start to build external relationships with brokers, that I would not have had the chance to build outside of the role. ?

Did you have any mentors showing you the ropes???

I would describe the whole NSW team as my mentors. ?

From Richie, whose portfolio I took over while he was away to Tim, Josh, Iva and Eric, who I came to many coffees, meetings and lunches to meet brokers (and where I was able to get some ideas for how to pitch) to George and Emir for their continued support. ?

If I had to put it down to one person, it would have to be Emir. From day 1, he made me feel as welcome as possible (as well as the whole wider BDM team) and gave reassurance about expectations of the role.? The daily check-ins served a great purpose, as I was able to debrief about how my days looked and ask questions around anything I was unsure about. ?

He also provided invaluable knowledge around how to approach different situations, how to pitch our product, how to keep general conversations engaging, and how to relate to any client that we may come across.?

Whats next for Paddy?

Now back in my underwriting role (hopefully just for the time being), I notice a lot of deals that come through with the names of brokers I have met. It's nice putting a face behind a name. The short 2 months that I was in the BDM team only left me wanting to join straight back.?