When numbers tell a story

A long tradition of a family of merchants inspired André's interest in the dynamics of business when he was still very young. "I think I was always attracted to the idea of knowing how each business makes money and how they support themselves financially,” he says. "I remember seeing my parents going through the numbers, instilling the importance of financial responsibility upon me and my sister.”

His attraction to economics and finance appears therefore, a natural progression. In his curriculum vitae his experience extends to a number of different areas, but an opportunity to workwith BrasilPrev ignited an interest in the insurance sector, combining it with his interest in financial management.

"When I came across the private pensions market, my first dealings with insurance, everything was new, complex and very interesting! Things such as mathematical calculations for risk mitigation, actuarial science (something unimaginable for me at the time) and multi‑year planning to assure the business’ long‑term sustainability were subjects which fascinated me. Besides, the insurance sector is very broad and we end up getting involved in several types of businesses, which is very dynamic and challenging. It is an endless learning curve,” he assures.

In February 2009, André joined the team of MDS Brazil with responsibility for the planning and treasury departments. MDS had just acquired two big companies in the south of Brazil and Rio de Janeiro, an acquisition which turned it into one of the biggest players in the Brazilian market.

With this acquisition, came the challenge of merging the systems, processes, people and culture of the different companies– which André describes as an ‘unmissable opportunity’: "When I was given this opportunity, my eyes shone! It was a unique project which allowed me to put my experience and learning into practice and be involved in the company’s restructuring, as well as get to know other products, as MDS already had a sizeable portfolio and a respected reputation in sectors of the industry by then,” he reminds.

Today, seven years later, André is very proud of what was built: "It was a long process that allowed MDS to differentiate itself from its peers and be recognized by all stakeholders – clients, insurers, shareholders, partners and society in general – as the leading risk consulting and insurance brokerage.

The work André developed during this time led to continuous promotion within the company. He is currently responsible for an 82‑strong team. We asked André what are the main challenges of team management and what essential factors enabled him to achieve such positive results.

He explains: "I still remember the words of my director when I first became responsible for a team ‘now you are a manager, do you want to be successful?

Hire better people than you! Don’t be afraid!.’ I never forgot that and every time I’m involved in the recruitment process, I analyze the candidates in that way. I firmly believe success is related to people.”

"On the other hand,” he concedes, "all employees must know their role within the company. There is no efficient management without goals and clear objectives or without promoting team spirit and communication. A company isn’t made of independent cells, it’s a chain of interlinked processes, where each staff member can influence the final result. Without this, there isn’t involvement and, consequently, no innovation nor positive results.” 

André believes people should not act solely as employees of the company they work for, but that they should be ’owners’ of their career. He comments: "I always stimulate self‑evaluation with the following analogy: if your career was a service provider, and you were a client, how would you evaluate it? I do this because in my experience, people who do not think about the service they give usually do not have a future in the organization as they do not have the necessary enthusiasm to be productive and progress in their role.”

Brazil is living through one of its biggest political and economical crises, something that’s greatly impacting on industry, commerce and services. Brazil’s GDP decreased 3.6% in 2015 and in 2016 retracted to around 3%. Unemployment is some 12%, representing almost 12 million people. Growth in this scenario is surely an enormous challenge.

André counters: "But history shows us that great opportunities can arise during the toughest moments. Companies in Brazil are making gains in efficiency and cost adjustments in order to minimize the effect of revenue loss. We have taken advantage of this to offer products and services to clients who, apart from risk protection, want solutions to help them reduce costs and optimize their processes. This brings us even closer to our clients and prospects as we are able to offer the solutions which meet their real current needs.”

In this context, MDS Brazil has focused on the development of some specific products, such as credit and liability insurance (such as Directors & Officers and Errors & Omissions also known as professional liability). André suggests: "MDS’ knowledge and expertise gives us the capacity to develop products that mitigate or minimize the risk of revenue loss.”

Even during the tough economy of 2016, MDS Brazil delivered growth and André predicts the forecast for 2017 is further continued growth. 

Andrés says the evolution and dynamism of the Brazilian market is clearly evident, particularly in recent years where it has demonstrated even higher professionalism. This has been greatly influenced by the increasing demand of clients who seek more than just simple insurance.

Andrés believes technology will play a leading role in the insurance industry: "For corporate clients, I believe the future will include increasing use of technological digital platforms which aggregate all services and information. 

This benefits clients from a financial and operational perspective, it will automate processes by absorbing some activities, create better fraud prevention and business risks services and consequentially, reduce claims. For private clients, I think there is an increasing pressure to sell insurance directly via a digital platform.”

In contrast, Andrés points out that the introduction and use of autonomous vehicles will cause insurers to change current motor and civil liability insurance policies due to the many claims scenarios this new technology may bring.

In relation to the broker’s role, André is assertive: "We should emphasize the importance of the broker, both as someone who can offer the best risk coverage according to clients’ needs and when it comes to claims, be able to intervene, defend their interests and ensure a quick settlement of the claim process.

It is in the words of poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade that André looks to for inspiration in his daily routine. 

With a Portuguese and Italian heritage, André upholds the traditional values and characteristics of these cultures. In essence, family plays a central role in his life and he "does not waiver from family life and playing with his children.” André has the typical disposition of Latin people and their passion for food, "the problem is keeping the figure after”, he shares with humour.

In his free time André likes to surf. Football is also a regular presence in his life; he was a federate indoor soccer player and the learning he took from here, such as teamwork and the dedication needed to achieve results, is reflected in his professional life. Music is equally important to André. He was in a band, but nowadays finds relaxation in music and playing the guitar.

Questioned about his projects for the future, André concludes: "I hope to continue to serve MDS, maintain its reputation for excellence and service innovation and build its relationships with clients and partners.”