Pearl of an Event Celebrates Anniversaries and Broking Winners

Gauntlet Group has combined the celebration of its 30th anniversary as a risk manager and commercial and personal lines insurance broker and its 15th anniversary as an appointed representative network principal, at a ‘pearl of an event’ in Leeds.

Over 60 attendees, both appointed representatives and Gauntlet employees, came together to mark a significant achievement in the turbulent world of insurance broking.

Signalling the stability and independence of the Gauntlet Group and AR network, the anniversary-themed event was undoubtedly the most successful annual conference to date.

Held at The Village Hotel, Headingley, it received fantastic backing from insurers, who recognise the huge value of transacting business with the network.  Event sponsors Allianz, NBS Underwriting, LeakSafe and Brokerbility, all gave presentations to both the ARs and the Gauntlet  in-house broking and direct sales teams, which fuels the Group’s buying power. 

A ‘marketplace’ also featured other exhibitor event partners, showcasing their products and services, with Iprism, Qlaims, RSA, Aqueous Underwriting, Eaton Gate and Rebuild Cost Assessment all taking a market stall.

Gauntlet Group’s managing director, Roger Gaunt, outlined a tremendous past 12 months for the company and network and promised more of the same.

All attendees participated in a Big Gauntlet Group Quiz, in which questions were based around either the numbers 15 or 30, or the years 1994 and 2009.   With four teams heading home with a prize per member, there were plenty of winners.  Appointed representative, Rob Evans, of Gauntlet South East, also scooped a prize of a weekend for two in Europe in a free draw.

It was certainly his night, also finding himself in the overall winning quiz team and heading home with the Client Champion award in the Gauntlet AR Network Awards 2024.  He had been adjudged winner, even before recording a video from the Indian desert, amidst scorpions and snakes, to prove Gauntlet’s Acturis system allowed him to handle client needs from anywhere in the world!  Going above and beyond was something the judges had remarked upon!

The Best Use of Marketing Award went to Craig Oakes, of Oakes Insure, who has established a LinkedIn brand for himself, as the ‘Lone Broker’.  Best Use of Acturis went to Rob Bradley of Bradley Gauntlet Insurance Brokers, for his embracing of all the system can offer.

Team Player of the Year was Nathan Waters of Waters & Co Insurance Services, who willingly shares his knowledge and offers advice whenever needed.  

New AR of the Year was Keith Svendsen of Prosure Insurance Services, who has got off to a great start.  The same is also true of the AR of the Year, Andrew Hopper, who only started his brokerage, RLM Commercial Insurance Solutions in February. He has far exceeded expectations, by energetically embracing the lead-generation that Gauntlet provides to its appointed representatives.

For the first time, the awards included a Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to Mark Spearpoint of Millennium Quay Brokers.  Kent-based Mark joined the Gauntlet AR network in September 2012 and is its longest-serving appointed representative.

The event was also the first attended by an AR business formed through the Gauntlet Brokerage Builder programme.  Paul Howley, now MD of Gauntlet Select, spent around 18 months building his business whilst employed at Gauntlet, removing the worry of having to immediately move into self-employment.

This meant ARs in the room had joined the network through three different routes, Gauntlet Brokerage Builder, the traditional direct route, and Gauntlet De-authorisation Fast-track, which has provided a rebirth to former directly authorised brokers.

A fourth, brand-new route – the  newly launched Gauntlet Phoenix programme – for insurance brokers who sold one business and now want to get back to broking by forming another, was also discussed. The programme has already attracting professionals wanting the best second-time-around partner.

Roger Gaunt says, “Things have changed considerably since I founded Gauntlet, in my back bedroom, in October 1994.  However, the fundamental principle, of always striving for quality in all that we do, has never gone away.  That is both the DNA of Gauntlet Group and the Gauntlet AR Network, which sets the bar high but always works with top-quality brokers who truly care about client care and service levels.  

“It was fantastic to see so many of these like-minded brokers celebrating with us and having such a great time marking our two anniversaries. At a deeper level, it was a conference that made the advantages of being part of our thriving AR Network – and our local broker renaissance – crystal clear.”

All information about Gauntlet Group and the Gauntlet AR Network can be found at www.gauntletgroup.com and www.appointedrepresentatives.com respectively.

Ends

Editors notes

Gauntlet is a Leeds-based commercial insurance broker and Appointed Representative network principal with ARs located nationwide. Gauntlet celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2019, along with the 10th anniversary of its Gauntlet Enterprise network, The broker handles all types of commercial insurance but has a particular specialism in passenger and road transport.