Nico, Senior Project Manager Insurance – Getsafe People

Hi Nico, you’ve been with Getsafe for a while now. What exactly is your role?*

I started at Getsafe as a project manager in 2019. It’s my goal to actually launch a licenced insurance company together with the team in the near future. The whole thing can be structured into two branches. The first one centres around everything to do with the licence application, which is going really well. From there, a second branch developed which aims at transforming our founded company into an admitted insurance company. We are the ones holding these strings – it is our responsibility that this project be finalised successfully and Getsafe as a company kind of grows into and evolves with this new structure.

What’s special to you about working at an insurtech startup?

What I find most exciting about the insurtech sector is the combination of both worlds, the insurance industry on the one hand, and startups and technology on the other. It’s especially thrilling to me because both respective fields have very different requirements. The challenge becomes to bring the two together in a coherent way. I think we’ve managed to do that so far and I’m very much looking forward to the future!

Sounds like a lot of responsibility. What have been your highlights at Getsafe so far?

From a professional point of view, the day when we submitted the Bafin application was an absolute highlight. A way bigger milestone will be the day when the licence actually arrives and we can really get started. From a personal perspective, I very much appreciate our company culture. Before COVID, we used to end many days of work with a friendly beer and you could tell that these evenings did a lot for the team spirit. I’m already excited for when the gates open again and we can do stuff like that.

You talk about team spirit in your company culture. What else would you say one needs in order to be successful at Getsafe?

If you wanted to break it down to two core elements, I would say A, the ability to immerse yourself into new subject areas quickly so that you can start contributing. And B, I think you really have to want to work in a startup environment. Decisions are usually made pretty fast, so you need a certain amount of flexibility. Aside from that, it definitely helps if you bring background knowledge on the areas of insurance or tech to the table.

If you hadn’t become a project manager, what would you be?

After my course of studies I had two choices, either startup or strategy consulting – both of which I found super exciting. But at the end of the day, Getsafe’s specific project just sounded better. When I was a kid, I always envisioned myself doing something with a touch of the classic... if you think about it, working in insurance I’ve actually achieved that (laughs).

Do you have a role model that inspires you in these decisions?

I’d rather say I admire certain people for specific areas of their lives. For example, there are certain athletes that impress me with their sports abilities. There are entrepreneurs whose entrepreneurial skill I admire. And there are musicians that inspire me with their sheer creativity. So there really isn’t that one single person I’m just a fan of unconditionally.

And as it turns out, you’re a musician yourself. Which musical instruments do you play?

I play the guitar and taught myself to play drums, bass, and the piano. I especially like playing jazz and blues. But in terms of what music I like to listen to, it’s very diverse. It goes from oldies to Aprés Ski over to pop music… Overall, music really is the creative outlet in my life.

What roles do security and risk play in your life?

Obviously I’m more risk-averse in some areas of life than in others. In general, you probably shouldn’t walk blindly into risks that you could have avoided easily. But you also can’t walk through life afraid just because you might be taking a risk. I think you have to get proactive from time to time in order to turn a risk into a chance. That’s the only way to make progress.

Is the glass half empty or half full?

Half full, of course!

So you’re an optimist! Would you say you’re a dreamer?

It depends. I think you need a certain amount of vision when you have goals as high as ours. At the same time I’m a pragmatic enough person to realise that you can only make dreams come true if you put in the work, energy, and passion required.

Last question for today – what does your perfect Saturday look like?

It definitely starts with a cup of coffee that lets me ease into the day. Then I would work out, maybe go jog for a bit. I’d have an especially good lunch and meet up with friends afterwards. And ultimately, to top it off we’d go for a drink at a nice bar.

Do you want to join the challenge?

You might also like:

• We Grow Together: Careers at Getsafe
• Insurance at Your Fingertips

*In the meantime, Nico has embarked on a new journey beyond the insurance industry. If you would like to get in touch with him, keep your eyes open on LinkedIn.