James Anderson, Rossborough Group’s Managing Director is in the hot seat today, reflecting on how 2020 has been for him both personally and professionally, his idea of a good Christmas and his hopes for 2021.
How has this year been for you personally?
As I imagine for everyone, 2020 has been an extraordinary year with the backdrop of Covid and living with the associated restrictions. The most challenging aspect for me personally has been the restriction on travel. Not being able to visit my elderly parents back in Scotland and not being able to go on holiday with family and friends has left a huge void in my life this year.
Reflecting positively, lockdown and the restrictions offered an opportunity to spend quality time in the bubble of my immediate family. It also prompted me to reconnect, albeit virtually, with family and friends on a more regular basis. All of this served as a reminder about how lucky I am to have all of these people in my life.
Unfortunately, my reaction to lockdown was to eat and drink my way through the “new” normal, when I should have embraced the opportunity to kick in a new fitness orientated lifestyle. But to be honest I have been missing that opportunity for the last 20 years!
How has this year been for you professionally?
It has been an incredibly distracted year working from home and operating in a virtual world. I am someone who likes to connect with my team, so this new way of working was a challenge. I am very fortunate however that I do have a terrific team, who adapted to this unusual working environment superbly.
This resilience gave all of the team at Rossborough another energy and purpose – that despite the constraints, we continued to service our clients to the high standards we set ourselves.
The team post-lockdown returned to the office environment with a strong momentum which has carried us through the rest of the year.
We’ve had to be more creative in terms of how we operate. We’ve learned much and we have a lot of confidence in the capability and adaptability of all of the team at Rossborough.
What’s your ‘hot take’ for 2020?
Life is not life without Wi-Fi!
Tell us your hopes for 2021
Naturally I hope we manage to progress beyond Covid in 2021 through vaccinations and healthcare to allow life to return to something we all recognise as more normal.
Beyond this I hope to continue the journey that Rossborough is on to further cement our reputation as the go-to broker in the communities and markets in which we operate.
Finally, we will keep developing the skills and expertise within our team, coupled with the best products at market to ensure we’re offering the best insurance propositions and solutions across our islands.
What would you like to see the States of Jersey/Guernsey focus on first in 2021?
I’d like to see the Government help local businesses thrive, in particular those that have had a difficult recent trading period, such as retail and hospitality.
What does a perfect Christmas for you look like?
I’m a bit of a traditionalist so being with family, celebrating the birth of Jesus, and surrounded by love and laughter. Also new slippers, socks and a box of Toffifee would be great. In fact, since it’s Christmas I would throw in a nice bottle of Malt Scotch Whisky too!
Do you prefer Christmas or New Year?
Christmas. Despite being a Scotsman who need an extra bank holiday to recover from New Year.
What’s your favourite Christmas movie?
Miracle on 34th Street. We watch it as a family every year.
Are you ready for Christmas or do you wait until the last minute to get organised?
I’m a last-minute man. I like the atmosphere in the shops closer to the big day and find I become more creative under pressure.
What would you like Santa to leave under the tree for you this year?
I would love a nice holiday to look forward to in 2021 – somewhere hot, luxurious and laid back!
