Management Team
Initially an accountant in the commercial sector, Richard found the corporate world wasn’t for him – he says that he’s too blunt. Add to that his desire to be in a small business and hey presto – Richard is a daily decision maker affecting his staff and clients for the better.
“Delivering truly exceptional client experiences require everyone on the team to be on board with day-to-day operations. It’s not a catch-phrase that you simply tell staff they need to live up to; it has to be supported by process and procedure designed to help deliver the best experience for clients.”
Our clients range from one-man-bands through to 300+ companies – and I know them. Trust is underestimated and Richard has built this over time – so much so, that his reputation precedes him.
Richard has a problem solving mentality and is confident in asking the hard questions up front. It’s easy to be wise after the event, but time machines don’t exist just yet. The team at Penberthy will cover all risks and exposures, give advice and make recommendations. It’s important to mitigate the circumstances and get it right the first time – sometimes there isn’t a second chance.
“Often you can’t tell what you’ve purchased until you need it; it is after all a piece of paper – a solution to a future problem. And when those problems arise, we are you ally and your advocate.”
In his spare time Richard coaches’ rugby (must be a family thing), he’s just always been into it and once a friend asked him to help out, that was it, he was addicted.
Insurance will often creep into Richard’s personal life too – the bad stuff doesn’t happen just between nine and five you know. It was Christmas day and Richard was sipping champagne in the Coromandel… bliss. His phone rang and he answered – being a good broker means being available – his client had come home to find a car in his house, it had crashed through the wall. Richard told him to go and stay in a motel and then he went and saw him on Boxing Day. They had a laugh and got it all sorted – a perfect example of the lengths Penberthy will go to.
Ask him for a piece of advice and the cheeky answer is to do your homework and listen to your parents. Delve a little deeper though you’ll find a very driven and motivated man. He works hard so that he can have adventure making memories, in summation that equates to working hard and living a good life.
Phone: (09) 486 1175
Mobile: 021 702 875
Click on the icons below to email Richard or to view Richard’s Disclosure Statement
John is a qualified engineer and worked on some major infrastructures. So how did he end up at Penberthy? He jokes that his Dad told him to! He enjoys seeing his family every day and working with such a variety of people. His grandfather Arthur used to come in everyday and chat with clients – he lived to the ripe old age of 97! So there must be some kind of life-extending secret in working with family and knowing clients personally.
John loves what he does, he’s passionate about insurance. Winston Churchill claimed that it’s the greatest thing ever invented! An expert in the area of life and health insurance, John deals with planning for the worst. The thing is, you can see it through and through when he talks about what he does – he genuinely cares and wants to make sure that he can go in to bat for you when things go wrong.
“Designing the best cover possible for clients relies heavily on developing a good relationship. There is a myriad of information needed and the greater the transparency, the greater our ability to assess the best mix of insurance components. With this process we ensure value for money and appropriately designed protection for our clients.”
An avid sportsman, coaching rugby three times a week during winter means that John gets his ‘kick’. He likes working with people and claims that is what life is all about – making improvements, helping people, having an influence and seeing them grow.
Cricket was also on the list of activities, now that time is replaced with family time. He used to think that people who just talked about their kids all the time were boring, but now that he has his own, he completely gets it. His son brings him a lot of joy, especially when it’s been a bad day at work.
John enjoys people and likes to make certain that when bad stuff happens, he can make the blow less painful. All he asks is that people just talk honestly about their situation so that he can work out a best case scenario from a worst case scenario.
Phone: (09) 486 1175
Mobile: 021 404 567
Click on the icons below to email John or to view John’s Disclosure Statement.
After fifteen years of the corporate world, Mark was over it. Too many regulations and ticking the box just for the sake of ticking the box, he felt that he spent half his time answering to “the man” rather than giving that time to his clients. So came time for him to jump ship and join the family business.
When you ask Mark what he does, he doesn’t like the label “broker”. He is one of the risk and mortgage brokers at Penberthy and you can tell that he’s really passionate about it – he would prefer his label to be “helper of people” because essentially it’s what he does.
Along that extra mile, Mark finds that it’s a lonely road and often – in the world of mortgages – he’s the only one on it. He’s genuine and sincere and wants to make an absolute point of not being lumped in with others who are just after the sale. The reward is getting to know his clients and seeing the appreciation in their eyes when he’s done his job and taken care of everything.
Ask him about his personal life and his demeanour doesn’t change. He paints himself as similar to his Dad – Bruce – and admires that he’s built the business on people.
“I don’t work nine to five, it’s 24/7. I’m always thinking about the peripherals in my clients’ lives.”
Mark reckons his greatest accomplishments include finishing a university degree (in commerce and marketing management) because he’s not a natural fit to the education system. He also enjoys proving people wrong – case in point; running a marathon without training because someone said he couldn’t… and he did it in 3:38!
The three things he wishes someone had told him;
Live life – you don’t know when it’s going to be gone
Enjoy life – make people smile, it’s makes the world a better place
It’s the simple things – enjoy the sun when it shines and the puddles in the rain
Phone: (09) 486 1175
Mobile: 021 771 906
Click on the icons below to email Mark or to view Mark’s Disclosure Statement.
Jeanette’s background has always been insurance, her introduction to the industry was as a PA which quickly expanded. Initially anything to do with vehicles; purchase, registration, insurance, licences, risk management, etc. Before long, she was managing portfolios for clients with vehicle fleets and multi-branch locations.
Assessors are people who negotiate with insurance companies on a ‘no win, no pay basis’ and Jeanette worked her way to the top of the ladder as an assessor. For example, if you were declined on an insurance claim, she would go into battle for you based on a commission only basis. It means that Jeanette has detailed experience on how to claim and what can be claimed for.
Jeanette has always worn more than one hat in any of her roles – which is still true today. Her time is divided between insurance and administration, but the benefit of that is knowing the ‘system’ from beginning to end and having an understanding of where policies can go wrong.
Arriving from South Africa in 2002, Jeanette started working as a broker in New Plymouth and from there has worked at some of the largest insurance companies nationally. When comparing any of those firms with how Penberthy operates…
“The larger companies have a mentality of one policy fits all – there’s no personal touch. At Penberthy, we go to market to get the best policy for you.”
Jeanette is all about finding solutions for her clients, that’s the part of the job that she enjoys most and more often than not, it comes down to risk versus premiums. Take Liability Insurance as an example – you might have contents insurance in your office, but if you cause substantial damage to their property, it’d be liability insurance that will save the day. In the long run, which one is going to cost more?
Another example is the unforeseen… A business man was in an art gallery and accidentally knocked over a shelf of ceramic items. Of course, the gallery’s insurance covered the loss, but the insurance company went after the business man – again, liability insurance would have come to the rescue.
“I am amazed at how many New Zealander’s don’t have the correct insurance in place, just talk with us and we’ll get it sorted.”
Penberthy is different because they are a New Zealand family business – don’t underestimate how valuable that is, because the majority of New Zealanders are small business owners. We understand the costs associated with running a business, we have our feet on the ground.
In her spare time, Jeanette enjoys spending time with family, going fishing, decorating and creating photo books – it’s like electronic scrapbooking on a program called ‘craft artist’. It’s very time consuming but worth it. Jeanette thinks that we’re probably going to lose a generation of people who don’t have printed photos. Her family get to look through books she created and reflect on holidays and activities.
When it comes to your insurances, things change and often policies are not updated to cater for the changes. Jeanette can only give advice on what she’s been told and there are no crystal balls – conversations need to happen because online forms can’t ask you questions.
“I need to fully understand your needs to give you the best advice – I can’t advise you on what you need unless I know what your concerns are. There are the standard things, but what is it that worries you. If something happened to your business, what would be your biggest concern? Be open and honest – our experience coupled with your concerns means that we make sure you have all the bases covered.”
Phone: (09) 486 1175
Direct Dial: (09) 213 7996
Mobile: 021 322 981
Click on the icons below email Jeanette or to view Jeanette’s Disclosure Statement.
Brokers / Financial Advisers
Initially an accountant in the commercial sector, Richard found the corporate world wasn’t for him – he says that he’s too blunt. Add to that his desire to be in a small business and hey presto – Richard is a daily decision maker affecting his staff and clients for the better.
“Delivering truly exceptional client experiences require everyone on the team to be on board with day-to-day operations. It’s not a catch-phrase that you simply tell staff they need to live up to; it has to be supported by process and procedure designed to help deliver the best experience for clients.”
Our clients range from one-man-bands through to 300+ companies – and I know them. Trust is underestimated and Richard has built this over time – so much so, that his reputation precedes him.
Richard has a problem solving mentality and is confident in asking the hard questions up front. It’s easy to be wise after the event, but time machines don’t exist just yet. The team at Penberthy will cover all risks and exposures, give advice and make recommendations. It’s important to mitigate the circumstances and get it right the first time – sometimes there isn’t a second chance.
“Often you can’t tell what you’ve purchased until you need it; it is after all a piece of paper – a solution to a future problem. And when those problems arise, we are you ally and your advocate.”
In his spare time Richard coaches’ rugby (must be a family thing), he’s just always been into it and once a friend asked him to help out, that was it, he was addicted.
Insurance will often creep into Richard’s personal life too – the bad stuff doesn’t happen just between nine and five you know. It was Christmas day and Richard was sipping champagne in the Coromandel… bliss. His phone rang and he answered – being a good broker means being available – his client had come home to find a car in his house, it had crashed through the wall. Richard told him to go and stay in a motel and then he went and saw him on Boxing Day. They had a laugh and got it all sorted – a perfect example of the lengths Penberthy will go to.
Ask him for a piece of advice and the cheeky answer is to do your homework and listen to your parents. Delve a little deeper though you’ll find a very driven and motivated man. He works hard so that he can have adventure making memories, in summation that equates to working hard and living a good life.
Phone: (09) 486 1175
Mobile: 021 702 875
Click on the icons below to email Richard or to view Richard’s Disclosure Statement
John is a qualified engineer and worked on some major infrastructures. So how did he end up at Penberthy? He jokes that his Dad told him to! He enjoys seeing his family every day and working with such a variety of people. His grandfather Arthur used to come in everyday and chat with clients – he lived to the ripe old age of 97! So there must be some kind of life-extending secret in working with family and knowing clients personally.
John loves what he does, he’s passionate about insurance. Winston Churchill claimed that it’s the greatest thing ever invented! An expert in the area of life and health insurance, John deals with planning for the worst. The thing is, you can see it through and through when he talks about what he does – he genuinely cares and wants to make sure that he can go in to bat for you when things go wrong.
“Designing the best cover possible for clients relies heavily on developing a good relationship. There is a myriad of information needed and the greater the transparency, the greater our ability to assess the best mix of insurance components. With this process we ensure value for money and appropriately designed protection for our clients.”
An avid sportsman, coaching rugby three times a week during winter means that John gets his ‘kick’. He likes working with people and claims that is what life is all about – making improvements, helping people, having an influence and seeing them grow.
Cricket was also on the list of activities, now that time is replaced with family time. He used to think that people who just talked about their kids all the time were boring, but now that he has his own, he completely gets it. His son brings him a lot of joy, especially when it’s been a bad day at work.
John enjoys people and likes to make certain that when bad stuff happens, he can make the blow less painful. All he asks is that people just talk honestly about their situation so that he can work out a best case scenario from a worst case scenario.
Phone: (09) 486 1175
Mobile: 021 404 567
Click on the icons below to email John or to view John’s Disclosure Statement.
After fifteen years of the corporate world, Mark was over it. Too many regulations and ticking the box just for the sake of ticking the box, he felt that he spent half his time answering to “the man” rather than giving that time to his clients. So came time for him to jump ship and join the family business.
When you ask Mark what he does, he doesn’t like the label “broker”. He is one of the risk and mortgage brokers at Penberthy and you can tell that he’s really passionate about it – he would prefer his label to be “helper of people” because essentially it’s what he does.
Along that extra mile, Mark finds that it’s a lonely road and often – in the world of mortgages – he’s the only one on it. He’s genuine and sincere and wants to make an absolute point of not being lumped in with others who are just after the sale. The reward is getting to know his clients and seeing the appreciation in their eyes when he’s done his job and taken care of everything.
Ask him about his personal life and his demeanour doesn’t change. He paints himself as similar to his Dad – Bruce – and admires that he’s built the business on people.
“I don’t work nine to five, it’s 24/7. I’m always thinking about the peripherals in my clients’ lives.”
Mark reckons his greatest accomplishments include finishing a university degree (in commerce and marketing management) because he’s not a natural fit to the education system. He also enjoys proving people wrong – case in point; running a marathon without training because someone said he couldn’t… and he did it in 3:38!
The three things he wishes someone had told him;
Live life – you don’t know when it’s going to be gone
Enjoy life – make people smile, it’s makes the world a better place
It’s the simple things – enjoy the sun when it shines and the puddles in the rain
Phone: (09) 486 1175
Mobile: 021 771 906
Click on the icons below to email Mark or to view Mark’s Disclosure Statement.
FSP 271225
INSURANCE ADVISER
INSURANCE ADVISER
Maryke hails from Rustenburg in the north-west of South Africa and has noticed so many differences between here and there. It’s a better lifestyle all round – health, education, opportunities… the only things she misses is the dry climate and family members.
Maryke loves that every client and every policy is different – it’s never boring and there’s always a challenge to get the best solution and result for her clients.
“Penberthy invest in their employees; they look after you and make sure you are well trained. Every broker specialises in something, so if you don’t know, there’s always someone to ask – their experience speaks volumes.”
Dealings with customers have made Maryke wiser – take the time to go through your insurance once or twice a year – everything changes in a year. She believes that spending an hour or two now, before something catastrophic happens could mean that it’ll all be fine.
Maryke enjoys creating and experimenting with art, such as oil painting, graphite drawings (not fond of charcoal), colour pencil drawings (not colouring books), digital art, etc. At some stage she would like to try her hand at making a sculpture.
FSP 194665
INSURANCE ADVISER
INSURANCE ADVISER
Rachel MussoThere were a few things that bugged Rachel in her job at a telco company. She herself does not like being put on hold and doesn’t want to pass that experience onto clients of Penberthy. Rachel is quick to find out what is needed, listens well and is then even quicker in finding the answer for them. Not a technology fan, Rachel enjoyed the people aspect – which you will find is a common thread amongst Penberthy employees.
“We’re a cohesive team at Penberthy, and I think in a lot of ways it’s the result of real focus on continual learning and supporting each other.”
When you ask Rachel about what she does with her spare time, there’s a look of ‘what spare time?’ Rachel has two small children so her spare time is actually theirs and it sounds like it’s quite messy. Saturday morning is baking time and then the arts and crafts… if it’s messy, they have fun with it. Rachel thinks that even the little things are more exciting when it’s with them – they make life fun.
Rachel likes that Penberthy is a smaller team because they actually get to know people, which along the way, means that they actually care – it sounds cheesy, but it’s true!
On reflection, Rachel has been pretty satisfied with her life so far (and she’s only young!). Her advice is to strive to be the best version of you and aim high, don’t settle for second best because you deserve the best.
FSP 469586
INSURANCE ADVISER
INSURANCE ADVISER
Jennifer Ryan
Jennifer started in insurance back in 2003 in a call centre doing insurance sales, over the years progressing to an Insurance Broker. Jennifer worked for Penberthy previously until going on maternity leave in 2014.
Jennifer joined us again in July 2017 and is based in Pukekohe to assist us with servicing our Counties clients.
Jennifer loves dealing with clients and insurance companies and making sure the client is aware of everything they have, and what is covered.
“Being an advocate for clients is my specialty. When it comes to claim time I put in 110% to make sure you get the very best outcome.”
In my spare time I love spending time with my family and gardening and rescuing stray animals.
FSP 77706
INSURANCE ADVISER
INSURANCE ADVISER
Shane ReillyShane has worked as an Adviser in the insurance industry for many years within a corporate insurance company offering both domestic and commercial services. Coming to Penberthy in 2007, Shane immediately saw the difference – clients weren’t just a number. At Penberthy he got to really connect with his clients and personalise his service to them resulting in relationships, not numbers. It speaks volumes that Shane feels his greatest accomplishment is the rapport he has with his clients.
“It’s really important to be a good listener in my role. Insurance is all about the detail, so whether I am working with a new client or reviewing cover with an existing client, it’s vital that care is taken in gathering the required facts. At Penberthy, we have a genuine focus on building strong relationships with clients, which help people feel comfortable to talk about what’s going on in their life – without that rapport, it would be much harder to ensure our clients are properly protected.”
Shane is a father of two boys and an item on his bucket list would be taking them to Disneyland. He loves working at Penberthy because being a family firm; they understand family at the ground level and what flows out of that is allowing him to prioritise being a Dad.
Outside of the office Shane is a bit of a sports fanatic – mostly rugby. His favourite team is the Hurricanes and he really admires John Kirwan because he never held back and was always honest about his life.
Shane’s advice for anyone looking at new insurance – be upfront and honest about your situation. That way, he can make sure you’re covered when you really need to be – if not, it’ll come back and bite you!
Vicky works in the Fire & General Department
Carole works in the Fire & General Department
Isabel works in the Fire & General Department
Broker Supports
FSP 77721
INSURANCE ADVISER
INSURANCE ADVISER
Regan HudsonWorking her way from receptionist to Richard’s assistant, her day is busy processing renewals, endorsements, providing information for policy terms and generally assisting clients. When a new client account comes across her desk she likes to remind herself why…
“We have really good relationships with our clients – when they call, they know who they’re talking to because we’re not a call centre – we actually know each other.”
Ask her what advice she has for anyone looking for insurance and it’s this; “Read your policy wording and make sure that you’re covered.” Of course, at Penberthy, we go to extra lengths to make sure our clients understand what they’re signing up for.
In her time outside of Penberthy, Regan finds great enjoyment in family time, especially with her son, playing soccer in the park, running the puppy around and playing board games. It sounds like nothing is too much of a problem, it’s not just a DVD at home, Regan will transform the lounge into a cinema and cook up some popcorn to make it an experience not to be missed.
FSP 661211
INSURANCE ADVISER
INSURANCE ADVISER
With over twenty years in the insurance industry,I bring a wealth of experience and knowledge
from many different roles. I love been part of the team at Penberthy and value the family
atmosphere of the business.
Penberthy values its people and we value our clients.
In my spare time i enjoy going to the gym, collect vinyl records and enjoy the open spaces
of Auckland.
One day i hope to meet Tim Shadbolt.
FSP 383506
INSURANCE ADVISOR
INSURANCE ADVISOR
Sarah
I started in insurance in 2007, as an underwriter assistant. 5 Years later I decided to give the brokering side a try and haven’t looked back since. I like to help people and ensuring customers have the right insurance is just one of the ways I can do this. Everyone is different and so is their insurance – this helps me think outside the box, and no two days are the same.
In my spare time I like to read (currently reading my way through the Terry Pratchett books). During the winter I am more creative and do a bit of crochet and knitting. I also enjoy baking – there’s nothing better than that freshly baked smell of goodies through your house!
CLAIMS TECHNICIAN
I’ve been in insurance industry long enough because i am passionate about what i do. Samoan born
but NZ raised this is my home away from home. Claims is all about understanding the policy. Most
people don’t read their policies, but it is critical to get an idea of what is included & excluded in your
cover. We value YOUR RELATIONSHIP and i’m a huge believer of people helping people which is the
key essential here at the claims team in Penberthy Insurance.
My Job Here at Penberthy Insurance is simple – I help you because “YOU” matter.
Outside of work i’m a wife to a civil construction surveyor, a lover of seafood, travel and sports.
In my spare time i’d like to keep busy with gardening and catching up with family and friends over
red wine & a good barbecue. My faith is very important which also enables me to be involved in
community charity & other events.
Life should be purely simple and balanced out.
Belinda joined the team at Penberthy in 2017 to support John and Mark in the Life department. Originally from the UK and lived the past 10 years in France living ‘The Dream’, she and her husband wanted to be closer to her two grown up children who live in Auckland, so thought it time for another adventure.
She and her husband spent 3 years renovating an old country farmhouse in the Pyrenees, once the house was ready they started a motorcycle tour business which was very successful. This taught her the importance of having a good relationship with clients which she has put to good use at Penberthy’s.
‘Penberthy is a great place to work and they really do care about their staff and clients’
Belinda can be found most mornings before work walking her Golden Retriever on the beach at Stanmore Bay.
Jane works in the Life Department
Nastassia works in the Life Department
Deborah works in the Life Department
Administration
Lillian was an accounts administrator in South Africa and immigrated to New Zealand in 2013. Whilst there are similarities in her roles between the two countries, she prefers Penberthy because there’s actually a system!
Selling everything they owned, Lillian and her family had to start from scratch once they reached New Zealand. But it has been well worth it. The kids are so much happier, schools are better and she gets to see her family again (they were here before her). Which just goes to show – New Zealander’s often don’t know how good they have it.
A real people person, Lillian enjoys working with the team at Penberthy especially because she knows that when she refers people she knows to the company – they’ll be taken care of.
“The brokers follow up nicely with the clients, it’s providing obvious service but they do it so well.”
Lillian enjoys a bit of hobby photography whilst travelling around visiting new and inspiring places. Once home she cleverly turns them into photo books – amazing to look through knowing that you know the photographer.
Lillian’s life-tip to people who ask her is to make sure that you do a bit of travel before you settle down, closely followed by tip number two; when deciding what to do with your life or career, do what you enjoy and have fun with it – as long as you’re insured… because you never know what’s going to happen.
Jackie is the friendly face you see when you enter the Penberthy offices – unless of course she’s at lunch or making someone an insanely good coffee from the Penberthy kitchen.
An avid people watcher, Jackie loves people – all kinds – and it’s a great fit for her at Penberthy because all business is built on relationships and she gets to be the person that chats to them over the phone, creating friendships and getting to know the clients.
“It’s an incredibly comfortable environment here, probably because the owners of Penberthy have always focused on the business being a people-place. As a result the team is supportive of each other and their clients – and there’s no shortage of humour that’s for sure!”
Jackie’s piece of advice is to never be without insurance because you never know what will happen in your life. It is better to be covered – particularly life insurance, because if you have someone in your life, you know that the pay-out will help them when you’re gone.
In her spare time Jackie enjoys going to the movies, music and reading. Although you’ll never find her at a horror or reading a Mills & Boon!
Get in touch or come meet us over a coffee.
Phone: 0800 736 237
Physical Address:
Maison Apartments,
Unit G02, 31 Northcroft St, Takapuna
(click here for directions)