ILC LEADER

Industry Leader Interview: Chris Ashworth

Job title: Assistant Vice President of Enterprise Holdings ARMS Business Solutions division and Founder of ILC

Employer: Enterprise Holdings ARMS Business Solutions, ILC

Sector: Motor Claims

13th December 2018

This week we have been chatting to our very own Chris Ashworth as part of our Industry Leader Interview series.

As Assistant Vice President of Enterprise Holdings ARMS Business Solutions division and Founder of ILC, Chris Ashworth brings extensive experience of the claims industry.Because he is passionate about providing innovative solutions and connecting those working within claims, Chris is at the forefront of the ever-changing claims landscape.

How did you get to where you are today?

A lot of hard work, a lot of luck and by always trying to do the right thing. I’ve taken a few risks along the way and it’s funny how the old adage that ‘the harder you work the luckier you get’ has definitely rung true for me.

What’s the biggest challenge facing your sector of the industry?

I wear a few different hats – if I look at the broader market of claims it’s digital transformation in a fragmented supply chain fraught with legacy systems.

If it’s the repair market, then it’s the colliding issue of skills shortages and rapidly changing vehicle technology that are causing challenges for everyone.

How are you and your business dealing with this?

We are making significant financial investments in technology globally through a combination of acquisitions and strategic investments.

We are also working more closely with our repairer partners to understand the impact better and prepare ourselves and them for the future.

We are incredibly fortunate to be able to spread these investments over a global business and draw on expertise and experience from other markets.

Out of your business achievements, what are you most proud of and why?

Easy – founding ILC and helping the industry come together for some fun times and also raising money for the fantastic Rainbow Trust.

What advice would you give to anyone starting out in the industry?

Work hard, play hard, meet as many people as you can and if you don’t want to jump out of bed in the morning take that as a sign that you should go and do something else.

If you could change anything what would you do to make the insurance industry “Better tomorrow”?

Greater levels of transparency and a further shift to an overall cost not price mentality. You can’t have better, faster AND cheaper!

What’s your top tip for being productive?

Keep it simple and keep asking yourself what problem you are solving. If you aren’t solving a problem, then the chances are you are wasting your time.

What gadget can’t you live without?

That’s a tough one, I use Evernote and a lot of Apple devices to stay productive, but my coffee machine probably just about wins the day.

Talent or Perseverance?

Perseverance all day long, I don’t read many books but I’d highly recommend a short book called Bounce, especially if you are young enough to have 10,000 hours to spare.

What do you do to switch off or escape from work?

Another easy one that a lot of readers will know the answer to….I like to spend time with my daughters and play golf!