When we recruit MBAs we are looking for a handful of special individuals who are seeking a personalised experience that will give them the opportunities, challenges and freedom to explore.
We believe mentoring should not but one set program, but it should be tailored to the needs of each individual that works with us. MBAs have the autonomy to make an impact and we are here to support you in an environment where you will ultimately be making the decisions in the projects you work on.
Simon (INSEAD 2010) joined Admiral in 2019 on the Future Leaders Program. We spoke to him about the mentoring support he received as an experienced MBA through his first year before stepping into his role as CEO, Small Business at Admiral.
Mentoring support
"I joined the Future Leaders Program with several years of post-MBA experience, so in my first few months, the main thing for me was to focus on doing my job well and not be micromanaged by an overbearing mentoring system. Marisja (Head of International Business Development and Investor Relations) did an incredible job tailoring her management style to my situation as someone who completed their MBA a few years before joining Admiral.I got all the support I needed, and none that I didn’t. And that was good."
Experience working with the CEO
“In terms of learning from the CEO, it was one of the things I experienced in the first six months. David (Group CEO) had been invited to a meeting by an external company that wanted to partner with us, and he asked me to join him as he knew I was interested in this area.
We went to the car park and jumped in his car and, whilst I was navigating on Google Maps, he drove us to this meeting about half an hour away. That was a really good experience - I was very impressed that even as a fairly new MBA employee at Admiral, I was on the CEO’s radar. The meeting itself was another fantastic opportunity to learn alongside the CEO. I don't know of many places where that happens quite so easily.”
Feedback and progression
“As I was coming towards my one-year anniversary, I reached out to seven or eight leaders in the business to get some feedback. This included David (Group CEO) and Cristina (UK CEO), who agreed it had been a very successful year. I wanted to have an open chat about how I might make the next year even better and where I might be best placed to work in the future. I always found people very available for that kind of conversation, which I think is hugely valuable.”
Support and a personalized experience
At Admiral, it is up to you make your own career, but you will be supported in an individualised way to make it happen."
"This is one thing that really does distinguish Admiral from other MBA programs: we think about the individual and tailor the experience to each person. That is different from some of the big consulting firms, where the programs are very set. Here, there's an option to say “You know what, I would love to go to Spain for a year to learn about claims!” for example.
I have received a truly tailored experience; in my case, I didn't want any international projects, because I've spent so much time overseas in my career already. So, my preference was to stay in the UK, and that was listened to from the start, even going back to the recruitment process.
All in all, I can thoroughly recommend the Future Leaders Program – both if you’re a recent MBA, but also if you have several years of post-MBA experience like me. It’s tailored to you and will allow you to build your own career path from the start."
