Next up in our ‘People behind the tech’ series is Matt Starling who joined WCL in October 2022 as Product Owner. Before joining WCL, Matt worked at WTW (Willis Towers Watson) for more than 14 years.
Name: Matt Starling
Job title: Product Owner
1. Can you tell us about your career journey so far?
My insurance career started in the late 1990s working for Churchill Insurance, dealing with private motor insurance claims. As the company expanded, I was presented with an opportunity to train new recruits and immediately found a passion for helping others to develop and grow. Through multiple acquisitions I was introduced to Change Management and skills that have helped shape my career.
In 2008 I joined Willis (now WTW) on a global transformation programme. My role was to implement new operational processes through utilisation of a new Broking platform in London, the US and Asia. My role rapidly developed beyond solely training to business analysis and the entire project life cycle, as each new line of business presented challenges to overcome. I moved on to become the Product Owner for the application, continuing to lead a team through Projects and Release upgrades until 2019, when I moved to a new Operations management role at WTW. This role combined finding operational solutions to business challenges and supporting the advancement of a learning culture through the development of successful mentoring, onboarding and e-learning programmes.
2. What is an average day in the life of a Product Owner?
My role as the enabledAccounting Product Owner is all about understanding the challenges which existing and prospective new clients may be facing. This understanding is key to driving an ever-evolving suite of WCL solutions. Day to day I’m working to achieve this by supporting our Sales Executives in client engagements and by working closely with my team and the developers on exploring the opportunities each challenge presents.
At WCL, we are a business change company whose products enable clients to do just that. A great, current example is helping clients to understand and prepare for Blueprint Two.
3. What do you enjoy most about your job and why?
It is a cliché, but I genuinely enjoy helping others to develop and grow. At WCL, we are a business change company whose products enable clients to do just that. A great, current example is helping clients to understand and prepare for Blueprint Two. It is exciting that it’s my role to lead a team that supports finding and implementing solutions that deliver positive change.
4. Which areas for developing technology do you see as the most important for your business and industry?
As a father, I see first-hand how the next generation wants everything instantly. The insurance industry is no different and the many initiatives to speed up the transfer of data will be key. How users interact with that data and the fluency of mobile technology to support this is the future.
5. What is your proudest moment in work or your greatest achievement in your career and why?
A former manager of mine shared that my ability to successfully engage colleagues from C-suite level to an apprentice straight out of school, is my greatest skill. Hearing that made me proud and it reflects a great quote, “good communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity”.
6. “What excited you most about joining WCL and the wider Zywave family?”
Before joining, I naturally completed some due diligence. The message back then was clear, WCL has a great reputation that aligns with my values. Add in the supportive framework from Zywave, and the opportunities which my role provides was, and still is, exciting.