Mike Hammond

For over four decades, Mike Hammond has been a prominent figure in the global insurance industry, building a distinguished career that began as a trainee, then broker, and culminated in his roles as chief executive and chairman of major international insurance brokers across London, New York and beyond.

Now Chairman of the London Insurance Market Charitable Trust, Mike channels his wealth of experience into giving back by supporting the next generation of talent through scholarships at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Mike said, “The Trust started after the events of 9/11, and three friends and I decided we wanted to do something to recognise the friends that we lost in that event.

“We started raising money, and that money is used to provide scholarships to students, mainly in the UK, but also internationally, who are seeking careers in the finance, risk management, insurance and actuarial science industries.

“Many of those students we’ve supported are from underprivileged backgrounds, and we continue to support them not just financially, but by providing access to skills and to people in the industry to help them on the first step in their career.”

An example of this is the annual London trip, where scholarship students are invited to stay in the capital city for a few days whilst visiting insurance companies and brokers to get a first-hand experience of what it’s like working within the insurance industry.

“One of the things that encouraged me to get involved in this type of activity is that I was once a kid from a South East London council estate who didn't have any background in the industry.

“So, now having had 40+ years of experience, being able to pass that on, or at least answer questions to students who perhaps, like me 40 years ago, didn't have any background in the industry, is something that's important to me.

“Talking to young people today about the opportunities in the insurance industry is something, frankly, that doesn't cost me anything, and I might just help them with their own development ideas as they take that first step in their career.”

This year, Mike’s Trust has granted six undergraduate scholarships to students enrolled on the Risk Management programme and has recently committed to funding an additional two scholarships for master's students.

“We're very, very proud to support the university and particularly the risk management courses.

“I have a particular history with Glasgow Caledonian in that I hired the first graduate in 1988 into one of the companies that I was working for at the time.

“So, we’re very proud of being associated with GCU and its 150^th Anniversary.”