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What does becoming a finalist of the 2025 Broker of the Year mean to you? After 43 years in the profession, I initially felt it could be perceived as blowing my own trumpet—which is not how I roll. Then, on reflection, I realised that maybe I do have something to offer. I’ve conducted my career and built my business with integrity and have represented our profession with pride. Becoming a finalist has created in me a great sense of gratitude. It’s made me reflect on a lot of things as part of this journey, which has not only surprised me but also energised me. To have such peer acknowledgement and recognition is very humbling, and I have to say, I am very proud of it.
are those who achieve success starting and building up their brokerages, which is an admirable achievement and inspiration. On a personal level, I’m inspired every day by my clients. I am fortunate to work with a lot of organisations in the care, community, and health sectors and the ability to support our community by protecting and empowering them in the services they deliver is a big part of why I get out of bed in the morning. What does becoming a finalist of the 2025 Broker of the Year mean to you? When I started that first mail room job, I was 17 years old, so I have grown up in the Perth broking industry. Over the past 20+ years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many wonderful brokers, managers, and mentors who have had a huge influence on my career. I have a strong awareness of the quantity and quality of extremely talented brokers in the industry, so to even be nominated for this recognition by people that I have a lot of respect for and to make it through as a finalist is an honour. I give credit to all the amazing people who have helped and supported me along my career journey so far and hope I do them proud. I hope by becoming a finalist I can help new entrants into the broking profession achieve their goals and enjoy satisfying careers and success in this terrific industry.
over and wanted to talk to me. When I came down, he told me he was getting busy with his work and needed some help. He then offered me a job in his insurance broking office. I accepted immediately and then promptly asked, “What does an insurance broker do?” What do you think the insurance broking profession will look like in the future? Looking to the future, I believe we will need to make some changes to how and what services we deliver. I see the job becoming more technical and complicated, which will entail a new way our profession will need to communicate and act on behalf of clients. We will need to remain relevant and provide value that a client is willing to pay for. We’ll have better use of technology, which will enhance and take over a lot of the less productive and less valuable tasks we’re currently required to complete. We’ll also benefit from the enhanced ability to use data to analyse, measure, and create innovative solutions for clients. Future brokers will be highly educated and trained across several fields, from which specialties will emerge. We’ll spend less time marketing accounts and placing business, with a stronger push into risk management. The future broker will be less stressed, always happy, and will be a seriously good catch as a partner. What inspires you the most about the insurance broking profession? Insurance people are just great people. Most of us provide a caring and invaluable service to our clients. I see and hear of the stress and anxiety when stuff happens to people, only for them to find out it’s all going to be okay because their insurance person takes them by the hand and guides them to a good outcome. I have seen the peace of mind we bring in times of crisis. Even when things are going fine, sometimes it’s just the fact the client knows we are truly in their corner and have their back. I also love to meet new people, hear their stories, and see their passion for why they do what they do. Then, they allow you to become part of their story. You become emotionally invested and only ever want the best outcomes. Who would ever want to let a friend down? “I see and hear of the stress and anxiety when stuff happens to people, only for them to find out it’s all going to be okay because their insurance person takes them by the hand and guides them to a good outcome.”
WA Finalist
BRYAN LEIBBRANDT, LML INSURANCE GROUP
How did you get started in the insurance broking profession? The insurance world was gradually
WA Finalist
embedded into me from my Dad who went through the ranks of being an Underwriter to General Manager of a large South African insurer. In those days, his office was open once a month on a Saturday and, as kids, we used to go to work with Dad. The maze of offices and filing cabinets became a good hide-and-seek park for myself and my two brothers. I was fascinated by the stories Dad told us about risks that he had surveyed, such as ice cream manufacturers, sugar mills, and chicken processing plants. It all just sounded like fun. We had a good upbringing and lifestyle from Dad's successful career and that was something that inspired me to follow in his footsteps. What do you think the insurance broking profession will look like in the future? I believe the core principle of broking will never change. Our business success is centred around direct, strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and insurers. Our role of providing solutions and professional, sound advice is an extraction of those relationships. The ‘why’ we do what we do will remain. However, what I
CHARLES ELDERS, AVOCA INSURANCE BROKERS
How did you get started in the insurance broking profession?
Insurance broking wasn’t something that I had considered or even understood at the time. I had finished the equivalent of Year 12 in Ireland and had originally planned to do accounting. Unfortunately, I didn't have the marks to go to university. I was on a hiatus—I was either going to repeat a couple of subjects to improve my points or maybe get work in an accounting office and work it from there. There was no sitting around, my mother had a rather long list of jobs to be completed. While on a ladder painting the house, my neighbour called
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