A sit down with Mark Philmore

In our series of A SIT DOWN WITH we speak to our Client Director, Mark Philmore ACII.

Mark heads up our Science & Technology division and is our representative with Medilink North of England - which is a specialist consultancy for the life science sector, helping medical technology organisations innovate and prosper.

Do you enjoy working at MFL?
Yes – love it. MFL is a great place to work, inclusive and a real team ethic pervades.

What made you want to join MFL?
MFL is an independent broker which means we are the master of our own destiny. No idea is a bad idea and nothing is off the table in terms of where we go as a business.

What have you found most challenging during your time here?
I can’t look past the COVID period. The lockdowns presented challenges for all businesses but fortunately we had positioned the business so that we were able to move quickly and effectively to a remote working model. It was tough during that period seeing other businesses struggle and in some cases seeing their revenues disappear before their eyes.

If you had to sum up your role here in one sentence, what would it be?
My role is to ensure that we continue to provide good quality insurance protection to our clients operating in the science and technology sector and sometimes to find innovative solutions to some of the unique challenges that the sector presents.

What does a typical day look like for you?
My day is very much client focused, so a typical day is talking with new and longstanding clients about their businesses and helping to identify potential risks that they may face. Things have changed some what in the last couple of years with my annual mileage having significantly reduced with many now finding that Zoom is a more time efficient way of working for them rather than face to face meetings. The latter is creeping back I am pleased to say though.

What’s your favourite way to spend a day off?
I enjoy visiting new places and experiencing new things but if I have a day at home I must admit I enjoy nothing more than a couple of episodes of Homes Under the Hammer and American Pickers!

What do you consider to be your best asset, and how are you able to use this at MFL?
The ability to listen. I think it is key to providing good advice, particularly in the science and technology sector, you should never assume that one business is like another.

What has surprised you most about working here / dealing with clients?
The extent of human ingenuity. I am constantly amazed by the extent of innovation that we come across.

What has been your favourite part of working at MFL?
I love to see businesses that we have been involved with from their inception succeed and thrive. It is great to see people’s ideas and hard work pay off.

What do you want MFL to be famous for?
Simple……to be someone that our clients can trust.