Chartis appoints Jenny Smith; executes vision of customer centricity

Jenny Smith

With a key appointment, Chartis South Africa continues on the path set by managing director Mike Durek towards improved customer centricity and business efficiency. Jenny Smith has joined the company, which is soon to rebrand to AIG South Africa, in the p

Says Durek: “The performance of our company is directly linked to the quality of the people we employ. On the back of a recent customer satisfaction survey, we know there is room for improvement; with Jenny’s appointment, concrete steps are taken towards our drive to achieve market-leading satisfaction levels.”

Bringing over a quarter of a century of experience in the insurance industry to bear, Smith is a member of the Insurance Institute of South Africa (FIISA). Her career started with AIG in 1986 as a junior, and then senior underwriter. By 1990, Smith held the position of account manager in Accident & Health before moving into Property. Responsible for opening the Pretoria Branch in 2003, she held the position of Branch Manager until 2007, before opting to consult exclusively to the Property Division until the present.

Smith confirms her focus: “In this role, it is my responsibility to ensure the growth and profitability of the Property book, while establishing and maintaining customer relationships based on respect and mutual value creation.”

Durek notes that the Property Profit Centre is a key pivot point for Chartis’ business. “Property insurance is often the entry point for businesses to engage with an insurer. It therefore presents an opportunity to engage with clients and brokers alike and demonstrate value creation. Doing so successfully, with high levels of service and performance, opens the way to provide a wider range of insurances.”

With its extensive portfolio of solutions – wider than any other insurer in the country – Chartis has the ability to meet almost any insurance requirement. As Smith takes the reins, Durek says the company will continue to do so while driving towards customer delight in all its interactions.