Fraser Bartholomew, senior associate, health and benefits at WTW, speaks to Health & Protection about exchanging the world of international cricket for advising on health benefits, facing up to the challenge of telling a client that a cancer stricken employee was the key contributor to their rising premiums, and why the skills required to consult on the sale of a rump steak, a tennis racquet or medical insurance are more similar than you would think.
How did you get your start in this sector?
After spending my early career travelling the world to play cricket, I moved to the UK, where I began working in Manchester on the provider side of the industry, before a move to London saw an opportunity arise at WTW. I grabbed it with both hands and haven’t looked back since.
What do you enjoy most about your current role?
I genuinely enjoy the opportunity I have to help people every day. When you really break down the job of a benefits consultant – that’s what we do. We get to help companies better understand the ways they can utilise their resources to support their staff.
Who is your role model – in life or in work?
In work, I have a fantastic manager and mentor in Nick Johnson and Diane McDermott.
Outside of work, it’s my dad and grandfather. I’m from a small agricultural town in New Zealand; Dad worked at the town sports shop and school and Grandad was the butcher.
I try to take the caring nature they applied to dealing with people in their environments into my complex client conversations today.
Surprisingly, it taught me that the skills required to consult on the sale of a rump steak, a tennis racquet or medical insurance are more similar than you’d think.
What advice would you give to people thinking about joining the industry?
Never underestimate the difference you can make by doing your job well. In the employee benefits industry, we have a great opportunity to help client decision making around how they can best support their staff.
The responsibility that comes with advising client decisions for their staff wellbeing motivates you to ensure you’re doing your job to the highest level you can.
Do you see AI as a threat or opportunity for people entering the industry?
AI can certainly be an opportunity for those entering the industry, and how we’re able to support clients – especially around advising on how to streamline tasks such as admin or EX in complex benefit programmes.
When used in a thoughtful way, it can be an aid that optimises current tasks, while also looking at how best to support future needs.
What has been your biggest setback and how did you overcome it?
Early on in my career, I had a situation where one of my client’s didn’t fully understand what their products provided, and as I was new to the industry – neither did I.
It was a real learning curve, which taught me how to handle stressful situations and more importantly that if you don’t know something – ask.
Laugh or cry, what did your most memorable client or case make you want to do and why?
My most memorable client case was certainly closer to a cry than a laugh. I faced an incredibly tough challenge having to tell a small, local business that their premiums had doubled in the last year, due to a cancer claimant who was incredibly close to the owners.
It was such a personal connection to the business and obviously had a very deep impact.
In the end, I was glad that we were able to look at a few solutions and put these in place to manage premium sustainability as much as we could.
But in an industry where we quite often deal with people removed from the personal experience of the cover itself, it served as a reminder of the real-life impact of the service.
What’s your ultimate career goal?
Moving forward, I would love to be in a place where I can operate with equal competence in the group risk and healthcare space, consulting with and bringing in large scale clients for WTW.
The idea of being able to build a relationship with the client and consult across the entire employee benefits package is a really enticing idea to me.
Another point would be if I am lucky enough to reach the stage where I can contribute from a thought leadership perspective and drive relationships with insurers moving forward, then this is something I would absolutely aspire too.
How would your boss describe you?
Loud, enthusiastic, energetic.
What’s your biggest talent away from work?
I can hit any golf ball three fairways to the right without even trying… in fact, especially when I’m not trying!
