Simon Phage takes the helm of A&G's Broker channel

SIMON PHAGE TAKES THE HELM OF AUTO & GENERAL’S BROKER CHANNEL

Determined to take the business to the next level, Simon Phage, the newly appointed head of Auto & General’s Broker Channel, has grabbed the bull by both horns and is literally running with it, without skipping a beat.

Phage says he considers his new role and the increased responsibilities that it brings as a significant learning and growth opportunity.

“I consciously strive to continuously learn and develop, and my new role gives me the opportunity to do just that. I believe that my appointment as head of the broker business for Auto & General is a natural step for me. It is in line with my career aspirations and I am very excited about the prospects for growth ahead.

“My years as a director of Auto & General Insurance have given me a solid grounding and I have been intricately involved in forging and maintaining relationships with our partners in the channel,” says Phage, who in the past has held senior executive positions at South African Airways, Otis Elevators and South African Breweries.

Phage says that with around 75% of insurance in South Africa still being sourced through intermediaries, there are enormous opportunities for growth for Auto & General’s broker business – especially considering the number of uninsured assets in this country.

“It’s a big market where many sectors are still relatively untouched. My focus is to grow Auto & General’s market-share of the broker business by tapping into these sectors of the market and also by strengthening our position and existing relationships with the broker fraternity.

“This obviously comes down to relationship-building and, investing the necessary time and resources in developing an understanding of our partners’ business strategies in order for us to grow our portfolio of tailored service packages. In the process, we will become more proactive, better prepared and more of a pleasure to work with,” explains Phage, adding that there are a number of Auto & General road-shows and focus groups taking place with brokers in different regions over the course of the next few months.

Proficient in Tswana, English and Afrikaans, Phage has a number of qualifications under his belt including a diploma in marketing, qualifications in sales management, financial analysis, business leadership and productivity, to name but a few.

Over the years he has served on various professional bodies, including the Institute of Marketing Management Advisory Committee, the Professional Sales Association (as a founder member and chairperson), the Tsoelopele Investment Scheme and the Family Care Society. He has also served on the Edenvale Care Centre, Uniglobe Travel SA and West Rand District Agency boards. He currently serves on the South African Insurance Association (SAIA) board and will remain on the board of Unity Insurance.