COVER STORY / NIBA Awards
The Title is a Responsibility For James, winning isn’t the finish line. It’s a responsibility he feels sharply. “Winning Young Broker of the Year comes with responsibility,” he says. “It’s not just a title. It’s a platform.” That platform, he believes, comes with a clear expectation: to contribute beyond individual success. “For me, it represents trust from the industry,” James says. “Trust that I am helping shape where broking is heading.” “I am passionate about evolving our profession while protecting the values that make it great,” he says. “Advocacy, education and genuine relationships.” James also sees the award as a signal to younger brokers watching from the edges of the room: growth doesn’t require compromise. “I want young brokers to see that you can build something meaningful while staying true to who you are,” he says. “You don’t have to compromise your standards to grow. You can innovate. You can lead. You can challenge old thinking respectfully and professionally.” Caleb describes a different angle of meaning — the significance of being nominated at all. “Having someone nominate you is a great start,” he says. “Someone thinking you’re of a certain ilk to participate with some of your industry’s best is rewarding in itself.” He frames the win as feedback about his professional identity and a reputation built over time. “Learning that the way you represent your personal brand to clients, insurers, stakeholders is well regarded,” Caleb says, “this inspires me to push on, do more and be better.”
The Process Forces You to Introspect James is clear about what he believes sets Young Broker of the Year apart. “Young Broker of the Year stands apart because it looks at the complete broker, not just production numbers,” he says. “It considers leadership, professionalism, community impact and contribution to the industry,” James adds. He also describes the process as demanding in a good way — a forced pause that turns into clarity. “The process itself is rigorous and meaningful,” he says. “It forces you to reflect on your journey, your values and your impact.” “That level of introspection is powerful,” James says. “It makes you sharper and more intentional about the way you operate.” Perhaps most importantly, he notes that it’s peer recognition, from people who understand the complexity behind the job title. “There is also something special about being recognised by your peers and respected industry leaders,” he says. “It carries weight because it comes from people who understand the complexity of what we do.” Caleb agrees — and relates this idea to his experience and NIBA’s national footprint. “The NIBA reach is big!” he says. “The structured process means you have to really consider and articulate what your value proposition and purpose are.” For him, the experience also included a dimension that shifted the emotional texture of the journey: the CGU experience on Yorta Yorta Country with Jawun. “That brings a whole other dimension,” Caleb says. “While you are working with your peers from each state, you’re also having moments that are very much an individual experience,” he says, “the type you have to be part of to truly understand.” What surprised him was the depth of the whole experience on a spiritual level. “For me that brought substance that I did not expect to experience on this journey,” Caleb says.
“Bonding with four strangers, bound only by your profession, but sharing an experience we will reflect on for life,” he says. “That’s special.”
“The NIBA reach is big. The structured process means you have to really consider and articulate what your value proposition and purpose are.” CALEB RICHARDS, 2025 BROKER OF THE YEAR
The Ripple Effect James says winning elevated the conversations he has been having across the board. “Winning Young Broker of the Year has opened doors and elevated conversations,” he says. He’s noticed increased recognition across the market. “There is an increased level of trust and recognition from peers, insurers and industry bodies,” Still says. “It has positioned me as a voice around innovation and professionalism.” But he’s particularly attuned to what it does for clients. “Clients also see it as reassurance,” he says. “It reinforces that they are working
“Someone thinking you’re of a certain ilk to participate with some of your industry’s best is rewarding in itself.”
CALEB RICHARDS, 2025 BROKER OF THE YEAR
26 / INSURANCE ADVISER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2026
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