10 In 10: Nigel Wood Managing Director Glendinning Insurance Brokers’ Corporate Division

Nigel Wood is managing director of JM Glendinning Insurance Brokers’ corporate division. Based in Guiseley, and with 30 years’ experience in the insurance industry, Nigel looks after a broad portfolio of clients including partnerships, family-run businesses, limited companies, PLCs and multinational firms.

He is the latest regional business professional in the hot seat as The Yorkshire Times gives him just 10 minutes to answer our 10 burning questions.


What does a typical working day for you involve?

You’d think that lockdown might have made a big difference, but in fact it didn’t change my morning routine. I still get up at 6.30am, head out for a run most mornings, then I’ll make breakfast for the family and be at my desk ready to start work at 9am.

What has changed for me this year, as for many of us, has been the move from regular face to face meetings to spending a lot more time on video calls. My days still largely revolve around renewal meetings with clients and helping them with any insurance queries. Regular contact with my team is an important part of my day, too – by phone and video calls – now that we’re all working remotely instead of spending most of our time together in the office.

What makes your company special?

It’s the people. We’re a close-knit team, all focused on client service. We pride ourselves on being responsive to clients’ needs and providing a speedy service and, because we’re a small team, all our clients get a bespoke approach with plenty of TLC.

Do you have any business rules that you swear by?

I do, and it’s a piece of advice a mentor gave me in a previous role: be totally transparent with clients, always, and manage expectations. You have to earn clients’ trust, and it’s something we work very hard to do. The number of clients who have stuck with us over many years is something I’m very proud of.

Do you dress up or down for work?

It depends whether I’m in the office. Usually smart casual works just fine. And when I’m out seeing clients, my general rule of thumb is to know your clients and dress appropriately.

What piece of advice would you give your 18-year old self?

Be yourself. I do think that to get on in life it’s important to let your personality shine through. The insurance industry is very people driven, and there’s so much opportunity in a career in this sector, I’d recommend grabbing opportunities with both hands.

What’s your favourite Yorkshire venue for an event or team away day?

This is a tricky one, as I’m not particularly sporty. As a team, we’d usually tend to get together in a local pub over a beer and pub lunch. That’s slightly trickier in current circumstances as we all adapt to new ways of socialising.

How do you prefer to travel for business?

With clients located all over the UK – Glasgow to London and the east coast to north Wales – the car is the easiest option to get me from door to door.

What’s your favourite place in Yorkshire to relax?

My garden. I love sitting there and watching the wildlife come and go, although I’m not such a big fan of deer nibbling at the flowers! The video footage I’ve shared of our regular deer visits has been very popular on LinkedIn.

I’m also very lucky to have some lovely walks and great places to run on my doorstep, which I enjoy.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Yorkshire, and what dish do you recommend?

There are so many fantastic places to eat in Yorkshire it would be unfair to choose just one. For me, you can’t beat a traditional Sunday roast with all the trimmings in a country pub, and the family for company.

What do you miss most about Yorkshire when you’re away?

Fish and chips from Murgatroyd’s in Yeadon. The fish is fantastic, the portions are great, and I’ve never had a bad serving.