My global career with Allianz
When Matthew Millener began his career as a graduate trainee accountant with Allianz Cornhill (now Allianz Insurance) in 2002, he didn’t know much about the company apart from the fact it was a sponsor of the test cricket in England.
“But I'm very grateful for that sponsorship, because joining Allianz has opened up a whole world of opportunities,” Matthew says. “At the time I was looking for a role where I could work in a large Financial Services company that was willing to support me through my Chartered Accountant qualifications.”
“I was fortunate to be placed in a very supportive and fun team and had a great boss. I spent four years working in this division before my wife and I moved from the UK to Australia in 2006, where I took on a role in the Finance Division at Allianz Australia.”
Career progression can take many forms
Matthew’s journey with Allianz has led him to get involved with many exciting projects over the years, including setting up Allianz Marine & Transit as a trading entity.
“The very first large project I was responsible for was managing the budget and forecast process for the whole of Allianz Australia,” he explains. “That gave me a lot of exposure to the senior management team, and I had to manage the process against some very tight timeframes."
Matthew has also discovered that Allianz offers a broad spectrum of opportunities to develop in more unexpected ways, too. Though accountancy seemed the most obvious career path for him after studying accounting and finance at university, he found himself taking on leadership roles in Sales, Underwriting, and Operational Management as his career has developed.
Evolving with Technology
Unsurprisingly, work processes have changed quite a bit since Matthew’s early days with Allianz.
“I remember I was processing manual paper bordereau and we had a huge mailroom that was working very hard to keep up with issuing paper policy wordings, marketing materials and documentation,” Matthew says.
Nowadays, a lot of this work has been digitised and there has also been a shift to hybrid/remote working.
“Our hybrid way of working has allowed considerably more flexibility, increased productivity and more focus on individual well-being,” Matthew shares. “We’re more nimble, innovative and forward-thinking, and this shift in mindset empowers the employees, creates more opportunities and makes it a more exciting place to work.”
So, what does Matthew think about when he looks back on his career and ahead to his future?
“I’m proud of what I have achieved so far and look forward to achieving more. When the time comes to reflect on my career, I hope to be able to say that I left each team and division in a better place than when I found it. I’ll take great satisfaction knowing I have made a positive impact on the people I’ve had the pleasure to work alongside and lead.”
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