Nick Cook
Chief Risk Officer
Ceded Reinsurance
“Most people I work with don’t know that prior to my insurance career I was a professional golfer. Everyone in insurance has a different path and an interesting story on how they get started.”
Nick Cook began his career as a professional golfer and had no idea he would end up in insurance. But much like choosing the right club for a shot, he’s glad he did.
How did you build your career?
Very smart people advocate being the architect of your own career by building a logical progression of expertise and responsibility. My approach has been to try and help in any way I can by embracing whatever tasks are in front of me, regardless of discipline. This has meant different jobs and titles. For anyone early in their career path or considering what might be next, my best advice would be to spend as much time as you can listening to the smartest people you can find. We are fortunate to have a lot of very smart people at C&F. If you listen to those people, good things will happen.
What advice can you give new employees?
Focus on what’s in front you – learning, executing, and being a good colleague. And remember that listening often is more helpful than speaking.