119

f u l l c o v e r

Jiřina Nepalová, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Renomia, is at the pinnacle of the Czech insurance industry; her expertise and professionalism is unrivalled, as evidenced by the national accolades she frequently receives. FUllcovER found out more about this amazing woman and her business.

Jiřina Nepalová began working in insurance in 1978 and is one of the most recognised insurance experts in the Czech Republic. This is mainly due to her extensive experience of implementing insurance programmes and managing claims for companies from a wide range of sectors.

In 1993, she founded and continues to run Renomia with her two sons, building its position as the leading insurance broker in the Czech Republic and in central and eastern Europe.

Renomia has been a partner of Brokerslink since 2007 and currently handles some €240 million in clients’ premiums. The firm has more than 1000 colleagues operating in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia and is constantly expanding its services. In November 2015, it launched a new Company – Britanika - focusing on financial consulting, insurance services, mortgage loans and investments for retail clients.

Ms Nepalová was elected Chairwoman of the Association of Czech Insurance Brokers in 2015 and her many awards include: Manager of the Year 2014, Banking and Insurance sector; named as one of the FORBES Top 10 most influential women in the Czech Republic and Ernst & Young City of Prague Entrepreneur of the Year, 2016.

Why did you decide to work in the insurance industry?

It was by chance, maybe luck. Thirty-eight years ago, Česká pojišťovna, then the only insurance Company on the market and State-owned, was looking for a motor loss adjuster – I was studying electrical engineering so they approached me. This was a big life change. From the start it was highly interesting work and it essentially became a lifelong hobby. Another big change came when my son Pavel who, after the political regime changed in the Czech Republic, was studying at the Sorbonne in Paris in 1993. He discovered brokers play a very important role in the world of insurance and along with my other son Jirka (also a university student), convinced me to build upon my years of insurance experience and establish a brokerage company. This decision further strengthened my relationship with insurance. The role of an insurance broker is to be on the side of the client, to search out and negotiate the best conditions for them, to deal with claims and in general protect clients´ interests. I find great meaning in this.

Jirina NepalováAn example of top expertise in the insurance industry

R E N O M I A : B R O K E R S L I N K @ C Z E C H R E P U B L I C & C E N T R A L A N D E A S T E R N E U R O P E

M D S M a g a z i n e

AWA RDS

RENOMIA

2011/2013Insurance Broker of the Year Ruban d´Honneur (European Business Awards)Top 10 best employers in Europe

2015Employer of the Region (Sodexo) 

JIRIN A NEPA LOVÁ

2014Manager of the Year in Banking and Insurance

Top 10 Manager of the Year (run by the Czech Management Association, the Czech Confederation of Employer and Entrepreneur Associations and the Czech Confederation of Industry)

LADY PRO (run by Czech 100 Best)

2014/2015TOP 25 Women in Business (run by Hospodářské noviny, the 9th most widely-circulated paper with a circulation of 43,000 in September 2013)

50 most influential women in the Czech Republic (run by FORBES magazine, 10 page article and cover pictures in November 2015 issue)

2016City of Prague Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 (run by Ernst & Young)

120

121

f u l l c o v e r

What did you find the most difficult when building up Renomia, which today is one of the strongest insurance brokerages in central Europe?

Definitely the beginning. In my case it meant starting the business from scratch in a small town with no capital. I had to apply for a loan while mortgaging our family house. I also had to convince future colleagues – professionals from within the insurance industry – to join me in a start-up business which was hard. For that reason I started working with people outside the sector, teaching them everything. This must have been a good move as some are still working with Renomia now and are recognised as top insurance experts. It helped having my two sons with me as they were committed to building the business too.

What was it like to be a successful entrepreneur and mother at the same time?

I was lucky that I started my business when my sons were already adults. What’s more, we could combine our talents and take advantage of the fact that I had insurance experience and they had creative ideas, courage, vision and knowledge of foreign languages. As a mother I have been tolerant and listened to them. From the start-up to today, we have been excellent and equal partners in the business.

Do you think it’s easier now for women to achieve leading positions in insurance?

There should be no difference between a woman or a man striving for a management position. It depends on the abilities and opportunities a person has. He or she, however, must be prepared to sacrifice something and have courage and perseverance.

What is your best memory in this journey?

I have lots of beautiful memories which I’ll never forget. One that really moved the business forward was my first trip abroad by plane. I was flying to London with my sons and another colleague, who is now a Renomia shareholder, to meet a senior executive of one of largest brokerages in the world. We had to convince him to work with us to acquire a major account - a large Czech chemical holding. And we succeeded. Later on, we jointly won the tender defeating strong, international competition and have been servicing that client ever since.

What is your vision? How do you see Renomia’s future?

My personal and business vision is to maintain the family character of the Company, expand in central and eastern Europe and provide the best services for clients. We continue to work in line with our values and mission which is ‘we serve people and companies and contribute to a better life’. We share our vision with colleagues in all the countries we operate in so they identify with it, naturally want to be a part of it and are keen to build a strong brand in Europe.

Why is it important for Renomia to be a member of Brokerslink?

An important milestone in the successful development of Renomia was working with international broker networks and partners. We’ve been with Brokerslink since 2007 and this partnership has enriched us, enabling us to gain not only new knowledge and experience, but also friends. Thanks to Brokerslink we have the opportunity to provide services to our clients in countries where we are not active and at the same time this cooperation brings us new clients. We greatly appreciate the joint meetings and the open and friendly communication. •

There should be no difference between a woman or a man striving for a management position. It depends on the abilities and opportunities a person has. He or she, however, must be prepared to sacrifice something and have courage and perseverance.