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
A career in HR wasn’t always a part of the plan for Sarah Novelli. Originally studying psychology prior to landing her first corporate role, the executive had little exposure to the world of human resources.
“I heard the HR team speak about employee engagement, leadership development, growing capability – I asked them to let me shadow them, and almost immediately, I changed my university bachelor major to specialise in HR,” reflects Novelli.
Now with a master’s degree in law and ethics, specialising in industrial relations, and over 12 years of industry experience, Novelli is the executive director of people and culture at BGIS, where she has expertly led the organisation through a period of aggressive growth.
As a global leader in facilities management, BGIS has tripled in size over the past three years, and Novelli’s job is to ensure her company has the right talent, in the right roles, at the right time.
“I do believe HR leaders at the moment are game changers for companies who want a competitive advantage,” she shares.
“My heads of HR, recruitment, learning and systems are amazing at what they do, they all have the flexibility to decide how they best accomplish our goals. I want them to be creative and enjoy themselves in solutioning the organisation’s focus areas. Nothing is off-limits if it aligns to our broader strategy,” continues Novelli.
For Novelli, a key aspect in determining the effectiveness of employee programs involves making data-driven decisions wherever possible.
Earlier this year, the executive and her team launched a digital dashboard tool giving managers access to live data about their teams, including turnover metrics, tenure data and gender demographics.
“If someone says to me ‘we need to do this,’ I want to know why,” reveals Novelli. “Is the data telling us we need to do that? What else is the data saying? Are there other ways to get that outcome? Can we measure the impact of that initiative to prove ROI? This curiosity encourages our team to think differently about what we are trying to achieve.”
Instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach to human resources, Novelli and her team use data from the dashboard to develop targeted strategies that suit individual team needs. The innovative tool is one of the many ways Novelli is pushing her industry forward and proving that HR is no longer merely a support function.
“This is the best possible time to be in HR. “We are becoming strategic leaders. It’s hard not to be energised by the opportunities and changes we are seeing,” she shares. “Leaders are looking to us right now to help them deliver.”
L36, 680 George St., Sydney, NSW 2000
0429912013
sarah.novelli@apac.bgis.com
inkedin.com/in/sarahnovelli
apac.bgis.com
Sarah Novelli
Executive Director, People & Culture
BGIS
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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
2010
2015
2017
2018
2020–2022
Started her HR career
2010
HR Business Partner at Ventia
2015
Graduated with Bachelor of Business (Human Resources) degree
2017
HR Business Partner at BGIS
2018
2020: HR Business Manager
2021: Graduated with Master in Law and Ethics, specialising in Industrial Relations
2022: Executive Director, People & Culture
2020–
2022
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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