Meet Our Team | Jo Thorsen

Each month we sit down with one of our diverse team members to get to know them a little better. Our business support officers are often silently powering away keeping our local teams going. They are one of our most valued team members as brokers and underwriters alike rely on their accuracy and efficiency. This month we headed west and caught up with Jo Thorsen.

Tell us a bit about being a Business Support Officer

I joined the Perth team during a lockdown, it is great to work with a company that is forward-thinking, and has procedures in place.  Between the two BSOs here we handle a range of enquiries daily.  We have certainly seen some interesting quote requests.  It is quite a resilient role as you never really know what is next and you need to be prepared for the next challenge.

How do you like your coffee? 

Very occasionally, I prefer Tea. 

What is your biggest achievement to date – personal or professional?

For me, the most important achievement is developing my own self.  Travelling as much as I can to see and understand other cultures.  The best time of my life was certainly travelling in my thirties and really getting to know myself. Moving from the UK 16 years ago was the best decision for me.

What does a typical day look like for you and what are you currently working on?

A typical day is maintaining the incoming work and directing it to the underwriters as quickly and efficiently as possible.  Plus, day to day admin for the team.  As a newer team member, I am continually working on building my relationships within the company.

What are three words to describe Berkley Insurance Australia?

Flexible, Diverse and Innovative.

What is something people in insurance have to deal with that you want to fix?

For my role personally it is all about focussing on the accuracy and efficiency of getting the request processed.  Getting the correct information from the Broker at the start is vital and Berkley Insurance Australia is always developing processes to assist with streamlining this.

What do you like most about working with brokers?

It is always interesting interacting with people and I have certainly come across some great personalities.

When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried?

Life is too short to be too serious.  My husband makes me laugh most days.

What podcasts or books are listening/reading right now?

I am currently reading “Dave Grohl the Story Teller” and listening to “You’re Dead To Me” (comedic history lessons).

What is your guilty pleasure?

The Beach and time with my dogs!

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