We caught up with Development Executive, James Gorsuch who works in the Real Estate team at Specialist Risk Insurance Solutions (SRIS).
James joined SRIS in May 2022 and is responsible for the development of real estate prospects. More specifically, James is a specialist in the real estate market and therefore networks and advises individuals in the industry on their insurance. He is always on hand to assist with any issues and complex risks. He also works with real estate clients to further insure their portfolios, which includes any development work or construction projects that need to be insured.
James’ journey to a career in insurance
While James was studying in secondary school in Essex, he applied to an apprenticeship scheme led by JLT. James secured the apprenticeship before he’d sat his exams and was one of four apprentices that joined JLT that year. At 18, he left school and became a Junior Account Handler in their London office. He built a foundational knowledge for insurance during the three years he worked there, before moving to Marsh.
At Marsh, James had the opportunity to work with international clients, including some European and US-based clients. He welcomed the new responsibility and managed a book of clients across the world. After four years at Marsh, he was promoted to Account Executive and was able to travel with work to visit some of his larger clients, including visiting New York City and Paris.
After two more years at Marsh, James moved to Lockton to work on Pan European insurance (insurance placement led out of London), and worked in this role prior to and after Brexit, which changed the landscape of the market at the time. At Lockton, he further solidified his experience managing clients, working with directors and stakeholders, senior management, and some prospecting.
James heard about Specialist Risk Group (SRG) through a recruiter, James’ wife had already worked at Miles Smith (a Specialist Risk Group company) in the past, so he was keen to speak with the team. James built a fantastic relationship with the team in the interview process. James had this to say about working at SRG:
“When I went for the interview I wasn't sure if my experience to date would be suitable, as I viewed the role as a big step-up for my career. But the team believed in me from the very beginning, in the first three months I was tasked with getting to know all the businesses in SRG thoroughly and building relationships with everyone here. SRG is incredibly welcoming and are keen to get involved and help.
I’m incredibly excited about this role, and I can’t wait to see how the Real Estate team continues to grow!”
What market trends are you observing currently in Real Estate?
“One of the trends we’re seeing is clients moving away from last mile and into areas such as student accommodation, build to rent and senior living schemes. Whilst this cycle changes, there will be additional challenges with the recent FCA multi occupancy report and rules allowing leaseholders to question earnings received by their landlord for arranging their insurances (amongst other things).”
A message to his future colleagues:
“Hello! Absolutely ask questions and for advice wherever is appropriate. Don’t let pride take over, being humble is the quickest way to learn and garner respect from your colleagues… you’ve got a free pass for a few months so use it!”
