Aviva Future Leader Programme

Backing your ambitions - all the way to the top

The Aviva Future Leader programme is designed for independent brokers - just like you - who believe they have the potential to become the broker principals of the future. The programme combines Aviva trainers with programme partners, guest speakers and industry mentors to provide a varied and stimulating learning environment.

Aviva Future Leader Programme

You can learn more about the programme by watching these short videos featuring some of our delegates, mentors, trainers and programme sponsors.

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Transcript  for video FLP Video

Luke Stevenson: So going forward, one of the biggest things I'll take away is the network of people, the diverse network that we've got across varying different types of businesses be really good in the future to lean on and ask for help and support and understand what's going on in their world.

The confidence of completing the leadership course, understanding more about how things are done in our business is just gonna be invaluable.

Anthony Adler: The FLP program has been great.

You know, the communities, it's great to see everyone keeping contact.

As you grow and you get older, you find that connections through the whole industry is so important.

Amy Logan: I have definitely grown in confidence in starting the FLP programme.

The different sessions have been fantastic. The variety of topics throughout the course have been amazing. I particularly find the finance sessions to be very interesting.

I would really recommend the Future Leader programme and I have done to other businesses. There is so much talent out there within the broker market, and this is the perfect way to nurture that talent.

Jayne Atkinson: Amy has certainly reflected a lot of the changes that have come through from the programme. We certainly know when she has been away for two days. She comes back full of vim and verve, and she is more enthusiastic in terms of her ability to speak in the boardroom, and it feels empowered, and we can see that she is empowered with dealing with her, you know, her staff and dealing with the day-to-Day issues that are facing us.

Sev-Singh Digpal - I think the delegates who I've been, or my cohorts I should say, have been a great help in guiding me personally in doing a better job within my company.

Rick Woodthrope - Well, I definitely recommend it. The confidence that I've got from the course, it's just gone through the roof. Before I started this, I'd have been a little bit more timid and as you've seen I've got up and done a bit of a speech.

I've never been some sort of wallflower, but I think it's really helped develop that side of me.

Michelle Craven - From a strategic point of view, he's now handling insurer relationships, having quite high-level meetings, which he didn't do before, and we are happy to let him go ahead and do those.

Transcript  for video FLP Video

Transcript not available

Here for you - all the way to the top

Overview

The Aviva Future Leader Programme is a practical and business-focused learning programme aimed at select individuals from key regional brokers who have the potential to be the principals of the future. 

Our Learning & Development team, in conjunction with programme partners including Ian Stutz from Baker Street Consultancy, specialise in delivering market-leading learning solutions for you and your business. 

With their detailed understanding of the insurance market and by working with both experts and regional broker businesses, they have identified the key knowledge and skills needed to run a regional broker business. 

Together we’ve created the Aviva Future Leader Programme with a variety of topics designed to reflect those key areas – from work essentials such as financial planning, HR and legal through to strategic development and business optimisation, we’re committed to giving the next generation of broker leaders the support to succeed. 

The Aviva Future Leader Programme is designed to:

  • cultivate a solid understanding of the key challenges faced by regional brokers and share skills and support to overcome the challenges of today’s landscape 
  • develop candidates’ skills and behaviours, enabling them to more effectively lead their people and their businesses 
  • expand candidates’ ability and confidence to manage key strategic relationships inside and outside the boardroom 
  • strengthen the regional broker community by supporting future leaders and their businesses to grow and develop
  • create the next group of future leaders within the industry 
  • be the ultimate investment in you and your business

But it takes equal commitment from the brokers involved. It takes a partnership. It takes Aviva.

Meet the team

Our sponsor

Ryan Birbeck - Broker & Client Development Director

Ryan studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at University of Durham before moving directly into insurance. He has undertaken a wide variety of senior leadership roles covering strategy, distribution and trading across the UK. Previous positions have included leading the Commercial CEO Executive Office and the entire Regional trading network at Axa. Ryan joined Aviva in May 2022 with a remit to grow the Regional Broker business through developing market leading propositions for our partners.

Learning and Development delivery

John Nutter - Aviva Learning and Development Manager

John joined Aviva in 1995 and has held a variety of roles across Financial Insurances, Claims and Underwriting until he became a CIPD qualified Learning & Development Consultant in 2009. As Manager of the Broker Learning & Development Team, his main focus is to help brokers to develop at every stage of their career.

Dan Wall - Aviva Learning and Development Consultant

Dan joined Aviva in 2001 as a sales executive. After spending some time as a sales coach, he developed a passion for training. He’s a CIPD-qualified learning and development consultant, specialising in business optimisation, and learning-and-development solutions designed to enhance and grow business for Aviva and our brokers.

Programme partner

Ian Stutz – Baker Street Consultancy Ltd

Ian has worked in the insurance Industry for 40 years including 15 years as part of the Aon UK Senior Management Team. He was then invited to invest in a Leicester based Broker BHIB and Broking Group Brokerbility following an MBO. As a shareholder and owner in 2020, he sold the business to Clear Group and is now on the main board of Clear Group. In addition to this work Ian has also provides consultancy support to Aviva Club 110 brokers and for over 10 years has had the opportunity to see and learn about the myriad of management styles that contribute to a successful independent broker.

Meet the mentors

Away from the face-to-face learning sessions, the programme includes specific projects and goals for delegates to focus on. That’s where our industry mentors come in, with some of the industry’s top names committed to helping delegates feel ready for any boardroom. Here’s who we have on the team:

Alex Alway

Adler Fairways

Ashwin Mistry OBE

Brokerbility

Ian Donaldson

 Autonet

Jackie Hyde

Stanmore Insurance

Karen Weir

Weir Insurance

Lucy Hodgson

Eastwoods Insurance

Polly Staveley

 TL Dallas

Rob Worrell

Ardonagh Group

Ryan Brown

PIB Group

Meet the delegates

Our delegates are individuals from independent brokers who have been earmarked to be (or have the potential to be) the broker principals of the future.

Our 2024 Delegates

Our 2023 Delegates

Our 2022 Delegates

Our 2020 Delegates

Our 2019 Delegates

Our 2018 Delegates

 

Course content

The programme covers everything you need to know to run a successful insurance business, with topics including:

  • people leadership
  • presentation and pitching skills 
  • relationship management 
  • regulation and compliance
  • business planning and strategic development 
  • HR and wellbeing
  • innovation and change
  • financial planning. 
  • marketing and sales management 

Bi-monthly workshops run over two days in venues across the UK alongside external learning tasks. When possible, we make the most of industry events such as the BIBA conference and exhibition, supporting candidates to build a network of contacts.

Applications

The Aviva Future Leader Programme runs annually every January for a period of two years. 

Applications for the following year course can be submitted between July and September. You can submit an application yourself or an application can be proposed by a business for an employee.

To ensure each candidate gets the support they need, our yearly selection process is limited to 20 places per cohort. We are committed to supporting our key broker relationships and aligning with businesses that share our values. 

We’re looking for applicants:

  • with a progression plan and business support 

You or your sponsored applicant should have recently starting leading a business or be a senior leader and earmarked to lead the business in the next five years. You will also need the support of your current employer as the programme will include time away from the office and project work to complete. 

  • who can commit to the programme dates 

The programme and any accommodation required during events is funded by Aviva. In return, we ask candidates to invest their time in the programme by committing to all of the dates for the full two-year programme which are detailed later in this guide.

  • primarily from regional brokers 

As part of our commitment to supporting regional brokers, we are most interested in recruiting candidates from these businesses. We will consider candidates from other business models, but places are strictly limited. 

  • with a strong relationship with Aviva 

We are committed to supporting our key broker relationships and aligning with businesses that share our values

                  

You can find out more about the application process and course dates in the application guide.

If you’d like to apply, speak to your Aviva Business Development Manager.