02 Nov TAKING THE WHEEL: THE DRIVE TO SUCCEED
My journey with GT began in 2005. It was the start of negotiations for Allianz to move its heavy motor business across to GT and take its initial stake in the business. I was General Manager of Facilities at Allianz at the time, and I worked on the transition and the contractual side of the deal.
I recall it to be a very exciting time; I admit I had very little knowledge of GT or this specialized market. I had a lot to learn, and quickly, and the tremendous support from GT founder Nick Zissis and senior Allianz management, including the Managing Director Terry Towell, helped enormously. But I don’t think anyone, maybe apart from Nick, could have foreseen GT’s extraordinary success.
“It was a big move – the blending of one of the world’s largest insurance companies with an agile and flexible, but certainly much smaller business.”
Back then many people, including myself, initially questioned whether it could work. It soon became obvious that the commitment, culture and people of GT, combined with the backing of Allianz, would be a powerful combination.
I was privileged to join GT in 2012 as Nick’s deputy, with the key benefit of learning from his stewardship and foresight before he retired and taking the Managing Director role the following year. At the time, GT’s systems and processes were running at full capacity. A man with unparalleled vision, Nick not only recognised that GT needed a stronger IT system, but he also identified the solution and Peter Rogl was instrumental in the design and building of the end product that now sits central to all the company’s processes and procedures.
One of my first major tasks was to implement that new system and ensure it aligned to client needs and would support growth. It was a period of change in the market. GT was enjoying strong growth, but it faced increasing competition from existing providers and new entrants. At the same time GT’s clients and the industry needed to adapt to new regulatory requirements, particularly around workplace safety. This proved to be a tremendous opportunity for GT to realign itself to its customers’ needs and return value to all stakeholders. It became the catalyst for GT’s next phase of development.
When Nick opened offices in each Australian state and territory, it gave GT extraordinary momentum. There were certainly “growing pains”, but these provided the necessary learnings and the foundation for what the company has become.
If a company was looking to do what Nick did back then in the present day, it would be mired in business cases and justifications for two years before taking any action. Nick made things happen for GT very quickly through his unshakeable belief in the outcome and a drive to succeed. I was fortunate enough to help with the consolidation of the company after such incredible growth.
The transport sector continues to undergo significant change, led by structural changes in the economy and business environment. Workplace safety is paramount with new technologies emerging and these continue to assist the management processes required to achieve consistent outcomes.
I didn’t come from an insurance background, but it is a great industry to work in. Insurance delivers an essential service to the economy – it’s all about evaluating risk, price, and how a customer wishes to mitigate it.
I am most proud of what GT has become as a company, its culture, its people and how it has evolved into being a true partner in risk management for its customers. Meeting customer needs is central to everything GT does and it has the options and flexibility to continue to deliver for them as market conditions change.
Insurance can be seen as transactional; GT has built partnerships with this specialised market sector and, with that, trust that it will do everything it can to drive the right outcomes for customers. It has a culture of being fair in all its dealings, with all stakeholders. The backing and financial strength of Allianz married to the flexibility and agility of a small business is a winning formula for everyone.
GT will and must continue to evolve as a business, making sure it is meeting the needs of its customers and stakeholders into the future. That has been the main driver of its past and current success and I have no doubt GT will continue to be a significant participant in its chosen market segments into the future. The great people who make up GT will make sure of that.
My congratulations to everyone who has been a part of the first 25 years of this extraordinary company and I look forward to its ongoing success.
GLENN LAMBERT