Five things you didn't know about...

Back in the day...

In 1979, I worked for a newly launched US insurance agency. The company, Pat Ryan & Associates, had eight people and was based above a saddlery shop in the Essex village of Ingatestone. It was the first UK operation of what would eventually become the mighty Aon Corporation.

World at my feet...

20 years ago I took voluntary redundancy from my position of insurance manager at a Lloyds Bank subsidiary, to backpack around the world. I visited Fiji, Hawaii, Australia, Indonesia, the Phillipines, Malaysia and Thailand over a year. Worst moment was being showered by falling coconuts in a Typhoon.

Stan the man...

I still worship the memory of Stan Bowles, at his best and the QPR team of the mid-70s.

Been there, done that...

I have 18 years continuous service under the ‘Cassidy Davis’ brand - now Jubilee - despite it going through 3 different ownerships and underwriting business under three different Lloyd’s syndicates. Over that time I have been involved in everything from underwriting film crews in Rwanda against kidnap & ransom to providing UK pet insurers with premium waiver cover.

Jolly green giant...

I own a 50 acre farm in Slovenia - thankfully, no animals just meadows and woodland to manage. My wife and I are hoping to develop the property as a ecotourism centre. In the meantime, I am getting good practice with using a chainsaw.

Chris Biles is active underwriter for Jubilee Syndicate 5820.