Profile
“Westfield Specialty and I have been trying to make sure we are opportunistic in the marketplace and that has allowed us to grow profitably and create a broader and more diversified portfolio”
Jack Kuhn
Westfield Specialty
The greatest compliment Fiona Crawford has heard is, “You’re not like other HR leaders.” These words validate her traits as a practical, commercially sound, results-focused professional with over 25 years of HR, training and coaching experience.
Crawford has worked across a range of industries, including technology, sport, fitness, finance, hospitality and automotive. She aims to deliver bespoke HR initiatives that are innovative, agile and data-driven to provide stakeholders with real and measurable ROI.
Her desire to drive best-in-class performance comes directly from her experience as a two-time medal-winning Olympian in softball (silver in 2004 and bronze in 2000) and an international softball Hall of Fame inductee. She translates her many lessons from the elite sports field to her employees to motivate them to new levels of success.
In her spare time, Crawford enjoys hanging out with her husband and two sons, although it mostly involves kicking or throwing a ball of some kind. Weekends consist of ferrying the boys around to sporting activities and washing copious amounts of dirty uniforms, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. Her time is never her own, but that is how she likes it.
Level 49, 25 Martin Place Sydney NSW 2000
1300 501 312
fiona.crawford@creditorwatch.com.au
au.linkedin.com/in/fiona-crawford-oly-137772038
creditorwatch.com.au
Fiona Crawford
Chief People and Culture Officer
CreditorWatch
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“The biggest challenge is getting everyone comfortable with the pace that I’m looking for to drive our buildout and growth. How I deal with it is by being open and transparent, and responsive to questions or concerns”
Jack Kuhn
Westfield Specialty
2016–2014
2014–2015
2015–2019
2019–2021
2021–present
National HR & Training Manager at Inchcape
2016–
2014
Director at 4Bases Consulting
2014–
2015
2015–2019: General Manager HR at InfoTrack
2017 and 2018: HCAMAG Hot List
2018: AHRI HR Leader Award Finalist
2015–
2019
2000: Sydney Olympics (Softball, Bronze medal)
2019–2021: Head of HR at Sympli
2019–
2021
2004: Athens Olympics (Softball, Silver medal)
2017: Sport NSW Hall of Champions
2021–present: Chief P&C Officer at CreditorWatch
2021–
present
Assistant Vice President and Senior Broker at MJ Hall & Company since 2018
Present
Milestones
Aug 2022
Milestones
Sept 2021
Feb 2022
Apr 2022
Jul 2022
Aug
2022
Suncorp Bank introduces Solar Home Bonus offer for customers who are choosing renewable energy for their homes
Sept 2021
Month-on-month market share growth commences
Feb 2022
Suncorp Bank wins the Canstar award for most outstanding value in investment loans
Apr 2022
Suncorp Bank wins Money Magazine’s Bank of the Year and Business Bank of the Year awards for the fifth year in a row
Jul 2022
Suncorp Bank’s turnaround times are the lowest they have ever been. The lender becomes Australia’s first certified carbon neutral bank for both its operation and transaction services
Aug 2022
Milestones
Kuhn says, “I would say my career has been one of more of chance and opportunities than a set plan. And it’s interesting how one decision has a ripple effect on putting you on a different path than maybe where you thought you would be.”
He highlights his spell at Endurance as his biggest professional achievement to date.
“It took some time, but we took them from really being viewed as a reinsurance company to being viewed as a global insurance company.”
It’s this type of innovative attitude that is powering Westfield Specialty forward so successfully.
Kuhn explains, “Westfield Specialty and I have been trying to make sure we are opportunistic in the marketplace and that has allowed us to grow profitably and create a broader and more diversified portfolio.”
Part of this has seen the firm acquire the existing Lloyd’s of London Syndicate 1200 in February 2023. It is also Kuhn’s ingenuity that has allowed Westfield Specialty to outperform expectations in challenging market conditions.
“I would say it’s been the understanding that there is a limited window of time. We're in this unique market, we need to be fast and decisive to take advantage of market opportunities before the market begins to move away,” he comments. “Additionally, I'd like to say we move with a lot of speed, but we do it in a thoughtful and methodical approach, not just to be the first.”
However, it has been an intricate process to ensure his team are onboard with his vision. Kuhn places importance of explaining his targets and the blueprint to achieve them.
He adds, “The biggest challenge is getting everyone comfortable with the pace that I’m looking for to drive our buildout and growth. How I deal with it is by being open and transparent, and responsive to questions or concerns. This way, everything gets thoroughly discussed and resolved.”
With almost four decades in the industry, Kuhn has developed methods that have consistently delivered. It is why he has been tasked with so many leadership roles and he intends to maintain his focus on creating more success at Westfield Specialty.
“I think I am and have always tried to be methodical. I look at the big picture yet stay focused on executing the different opportunities or plans that I have in front of me. I don’t get emotional or make emotional decisions.”
Chief underwriting officer of executive risk at Chubb
President of financial insurance solutions at Kemper
Chief underwriting officer at Axis Capital
CEO of global Insurance at Endurance
CEO of global Insurance at Sompo International
Kuhn joined Westfield Specialty in the firm’s first year (2021) and has established the company’s presence in the specialty market. By the end of 2023, the firm is expected to surpass $1.3 billion in GWP after writing $300 million in 2021.
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