Football Business & Finance student James Sandford was recently offered a summer internship at Aon Insurance Brokers – a leading global financial services organisation and official shirt sponsors of Manchester United FC.
James was offered the position having completed a recent placement with Aon, who work with a wide range of world-leading organisations and individuals, providing insurance and financial management services to protect and safeguard their interests. These range from professional sporting associations to blue-chip and FTSE100 organisations.
“I found James to be a very hard working and knowledgeable individual. We were impressed by his professionalism and enthusiasm to learn more about Aon and our capabilities. As an indication of the impact that James made in his short time, we have already arranged for him to return for an extended period of work experience in the summer of 2014.”
Steve Tallboys, Director of Aon Risk Solutions
Inital Placement
During his initial placement James had the impressive responsibility of managing contracts for the Aon Sports Recreation and Entertainment department, a division which provides risk management and insurance services to over 600 professional footballers from around the globe.
A particular highlight for James was visiting the Lloyds building in London, one of the most iconic financial buildings in the world. This not only provided him with the opportunity to network with other finance professionals, but was a unique experience as the general public are not able to access the building unless they work within the industry.
Liaising and Negotiating
During the placement James was responsible for liaising with high profile sporting professionals regarding the renewal of their insurance policies, negotiating with clients and insurance underwriters and presenting all available options to the client.
James was fortunate to be involved in meetings and networking events to build relationships with clients. One such event included a trip to watch the Polo; an experience which enabled him to network with finance professionals while gaining a deeper understanding of how financial institutions operate from those immersed in the industry.
The placement has provided James with a fascinating insight and grounding in the world of finance while establishing lasting business contacts.
“The industry is very complex, but the most important part of the role is having really strong negotiation and communication skills. The placement has further confirmed to me that a career in finance is a wise investment.”
James Sandford, BA (Hons) Football Business & Finance student at UCFB
