Forty years in insurance. A passion for face-to-face relationships. And a man who genuinely picks up the phone. We sat down with Paul Wallace, Jensten London Markets’ new Business Development Manager at BIBA, to find out what makes him tick and what he’s got planned.
Paul, you’ve been in the insurance industry for four decades now. What does a typical day actually look like for you?
Honestly? No two days are the same, and that’s exactly how I like it! Insurance is a constantly moving beast, so you have to stay on your toes and react to what the market’s doing. One morning I might be having a first conversation with a new prospect, walking them through what Jensten London Markets can offer them and their clients. The afternoon could be focused on an existing relationship, making sure we’re retaining a partner broker and they’ve got everything they need at renewal.
One thing you’ll always find me doing, though, is picking up the phone. I’m a big believer in actually talking to people, not everything needs to be an email chain. That personal connection matters, and it’s something I’ve always prioritised throughout my career.
Speaking of your career, forty years is quite a journey. How did you end up specialising in the London Market?
It’s been quite a ride! I spent my first twenty years with Sun Alliance, which eventually became RSA, so I had a really solid grounding on the insurer side. Then in 2007 I made the move into broking, with three years at R K Harrison as a Schemes Product Development Manager, followed by five years at Travelers as Branch Sales Manager down in Redhill.
My first taste of Lloyd’s came in 2015 when I joined Citynet as their UK Sales Manager, and I haven’t looked back since. From there I spent nine years at Compass/Bravo Networks before arriving at Jensten.
What draws me to Lloyd’s and the London Market is the fact that it’s genuinely specialist. And having sat on both sides of the fence (insurer, broker, network, and now Lloyd’s) I feel like I bring a genuinely rounded perspective.
I can draw on all of those relationships and experiences when I’m working with clients. That’s something you simply can’t shortcut.
So what exactly is Jensten London Markets, and what makes it different?
At its heart, JLM is a specialist wholesale insurance broker, where we give brokers access to solutions they can’t always get through standard markets. I always talk about the three D’s: if a risk is Diverse, Distressed, or Difficult, that’s where we come into our own.
I have only been here for a short time, but what I have found most interesting is how we’re wanting to be more than a transactional relationship to being a genuine strategic partner for the brokers we work with. We talk about three core pillars — expertise, trust, and service, and for me, service is the one that ties it all together. That’s what brokers ultimately want, and we deliver it in abundance.
We also have some genuinely unique products that set us apart — particularly One Cover, which handles land and sea risks across industrial and leisure sectors, and our Infrastructure product, which supports contractors and manufacturers involved in delivering power, assets, and goods across land, sea, road and rail. These aren’t just differentiators on paper, they’re already opening doors with new broker prospects. And with more exclusive facilities in the pipeline its going to be an exciting time.
What does success look like for you in the first year?
The obvious metrics matter – more enquiries, a better bound-to-conversion rate, income growth, new clients coming on board, and keeping our existing accounts firmly in place. That’s the foundation.
But beyond the numbers, I think I share the same passion of the leadership team – we want us to be genuinely known in the market.
We held our Relaunch event a few weeks ago, and we are here at BIBA talking to brokers about our plans.
The reality is this is just the starting gun. Now it’s about getting out there, having the conversations, and understanding what brokers actually need. I like to say I’ll be getting “under the skin” of the brokers I meet, really understanding their book, their ambitions, and where JLM fits in. The timing feels right too; Jensten as a group is on a real growth trajectory and there’s real momentum behind what we’re building.
Infrastructure is a big focus area. We held our relaunch presentation in the City recently, and the response was brilliant — one new broker prospect heard about Infrastructure and One Cover, said it mapped perfectly to what his clients need right now, and has already asked for a follow-up. That’s exactly the kind of momentum we want to build on.
And finally – what should brokers expect when they deal with you personally?
A phone call, probably! But seriously, I’m approachable, I’m personable, and I genuinely love meeting people face to face. That’s when you really get to know someone, and when they get to know you. For me, business relationships are built on trust, and trust comes from showing up, being visible, and following through.
I’m incredibly excited about where this journey goes. I feel like I’ve joined Jensten at a really exciting time, and I’m here to make a real difference to what JLM becomes. Watch this space.
To find out more about Jensten London Markets and how we can support your clients, get in touch with Paul directly.
