Peter C Williams
CV / RESUME
Change
Analysis
Projects
Strategy
Communication
Data Analysis
Financials
People Management
Regulatory
Training
Modelling
Automation / AI
PETER C WILLIAMS
TRANSFORMATION, STRATEGY and CHANGE CONSULTANT | AUTHOR
A highly experienced and skilled transformation, strategy and change consultant and published technical author with over 20 years in the European Financial Services industry. Peter has a diverse and versatile skill set, having worked across a broad spectrum of disciplines in the insurance and banking sectors, all of which have resulted in a strong track record in both a delivery and analytical capacity, as well as an in-depth knowledge of insurance and investment-related products. Peter is a self-starter and problem solver with financial management skills (experienced in defining and managing budgets c. £60m), ability to manage large multi-discipline teams successfully and a proven track record in driving and delivering multi-million-pound projects and initiatives (regulatory, divestment, integration and transformation programmes).
Peter is adaptable and focused on providing high-quality results on time and within budget and is not only able to manage processes and people but also complex and technical initiatives. Peter is strategically minded, a strong communicator and highly effective at stakeholder management, with the ability to communicate and work with people from across the organisation. Peter’s more recent experiences include technical writing, organisational design, digitalisation, transformation and automation. digitalisation, transformation and automation.
- Experienced and in-depth product knowledge in a number of areas of the financial services industry, including banking (retail, corporate and asset management), general insurance, life and pensions – products, new business, administration and claims
- Experienced in working in a variety of environments, from IT to specialist business areas (including actuarial, product management and operations)
- Experienced in over eighteen methodologies (including Prince2, Six Sigma, Lean, Agile, Scrum, etc.)
- Experienced in change management, projects, separation, analysis and divestment
- Experienced in managing and leading teams (from small teams of SMEs to large groups of operations, developers and analysts
- Experienced in organisational design, strategy and delivery – including workplace strategy, developing target operating models and operational design and management
- Worked on a number of regulatory and time-sensitive projects (including legal integration project, GDPR, Investment remedial activities, TCF, Sarbanes Oxley)
- Published author of two technical books (Superhero’s take on the Experienced Analyst and The Greek God’s take on the Effective Project Manager, as well as various business and technical articles
Freelance
Technical Writing, Startup| London, UK
Since 2019, I have been working on a number of projects and activities, including writing business and technical articles, which are currently over 60 to date. At the same time, I began working on a community-led startup, carrying out research and producing content for an online platform. The platform has grown to become three individual platforms offering a range of support services and information.
DIRECT LINE GROUP
General Insurance, Change Management, Motor, Household, Transformation | London, UK
Direct Line Group is one of the UK’s largest general insurers, with over 10,000 employees and a presence within the UK, Germany and Italy. The company was formed in 2012 following the divestment of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group’s (RBS) insurance division through an initial public offering. The group brands include Direct Line, Churchill, Privilege, NIG, Tracker and Green Flag brands and maintains approximately 20% of the UK personal motor market share and 18% of the UK Home Insurance sector. To learn more about Direct Line Group, please visit (https://www.directlinegroup.co.uk/)
Consultant – Strategy & Transformation
Optimisation/Transformation | Working across two programmes. The first programme focused on developing a future operating model and strategy across the Chief Operating Office (COO) within DLG, specifically for its people, technology, and ways of working. The second programme was related to analysing and finding opportunities to improve the transactional customer communication channels, reducing the annual costs of £14.5m, and building a roadmap around the utilisation of new technologies for all brands and products.
Freelance
Technical Writing, Publishing| London, UK
Throughout 2017, I worked on writing two technical books (Superhero’s take on the Experienced Analyst and The Greek God’s take on the Effective Project Manager), as well as a writing number of technical and business articles.
Consultant – Change & Transformation
Run/Transformation | The transformation programme focused on a number of operational digitalisation and automation initiatives. One key aspect was around utilising the newly acquired Scanning, Imaging and Workflow platform (OpenText Enterprise Scan, CaptureCentre, IDM, Content Server and Case360) that linked directly to the general insurance policy and claim systems (Guidewire, ClaimCenter, PolicyCenter, BillingCenter). My role was focused on utilising the technology and ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the technical and operational resources. In addition to the change aspects of the digitalisation project, I was also responsible for developing the in-house capability around adopting Optical and Intelligent Character Recognition (OCR/ICRO capabilities on all inbound documentation (auto extraction) and for identifying opportunities to utilise artificial intelligence (Robotics) on business processes.
Consultant – Change & Transformation
Build/Maintain Stage | On the successful completion of the separation activity, I was asked to work on the setting up of a Scanning, Image and Workflow migration project and lead the business input into the Emerald/Best for Customer Programme, which was looking to transform the systems infrastructure within DLG. The activity was focused on preparing all documentation for the various pre-implementation gateways by obtaining approval for each of the key gateways.
ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND (RBS)
Banking, General Insurance, Change Management, Motor, Household, Separation, Divestment | London, UK
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is a major retail and commercial bank in Scotland and the United Kingdom. RBS has a number of divisions and subsidiaries, including the NatWest Group and Ulster Bank. In 2009, the European Commission mandated that RBS separate its insurance division in order to receive state aid. RBS Insurance, the Insurance division of RBS Group, changed its name to Direct Line Group and floated on the London Stock Exchange in 2012. To learn more about RBS, please visit (https://www.rbs.co.uk/)
Consultant – Separation & Organisational Design
Design/Build Stage | Worked on, at that time, the largest separation programme in Europe’s financial services industry. The programme aimed to make Direct Line Group demonstratively separate from the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). The Property and Logistics separation programme was a change management initiative focused on creating a new operation within Direct Line Group and transferring, separating or replicating services and staff from RBS Group. The property and logistics area had over 150 staff, managed budgets in excess of £100 million and supported over 35 sites.
AVIVA (FORMERLY FRIENDS PROVIDENT and AXA LIFE)
Investments, Life, Pensions | London / Salisbury, UK
Friends’ Provident Insurance was a banking institution founded in 1832 to serve the needs of the Society of Friends (Quakers). FPI was made up of two divisions: UK Life and Pensions, which offered a range of life protection, income protection, pensions and investment products for individual and corporate clients and the International Life and Pensions business, which operated throughout Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The company merged with the majority of AXA’s UK Life business in 2011 to become Friends Life, which Aviva acquired in April 2015. To learn more about Aviva, please click here to visit the company’s website (https://www.aviva.co.uk/)
Consultant – Investments
Working within the Fund Strategy and Selection Group (FSSG) Programme within the Investment area of the life and pensions division, the programme was focused on resolving the issues identified as part of an internal compliance and governance review. The review and progress were visible to the Financial Services Authority, and the principal aim was to ensure that investment funds were in line with their mandates (goal, risk rating) and that all historical problems relating to funds were resolved.
EUROPEAN EQUITY RELEASE RESEARCH
Equity Release | Spain / Portugal
A consortium of specialist lenders and brokers in the UK were looking to develop equity release-related products in Spain and Portugal, predominately for UK ex-pats who have made these European countries their home. The purpose of the activity was to research and identify the obstacles that UK lenders wishing to enter the European equity release sector may face and need to overcome. Looking at the viability and size of the market, exploring Spanish property laws and ownership, and the various securitisation and distribution options available across the continent
Consultant – Product Research & Development
The role focussed on researching the viability of launching the Equity Release product in Spain and Portugal. The research included assessing the size, supply chain and securitisation.
PARTNERSHIP ASSURANCE GROUP
Enhanced-Impaired Life Pension Annuities, Equity Release, Long Term Care | London, UK
Partnership Assurance was formed in 2005 following the demutualisation of one of Britain’s largest friendly societies, known as the Pension Annuity Friendly Society or PAFS. PAFS was an insurance company founded in 1995 and offered predominately annuities that offered a higher income for those who smoked or had medical conditions that might reduce their life expectancy. Partnership Assurance expanded its range of products to include a number of pension, life and equity release products and, in 2016, merged with Just Retirement and was renamed to the JRP Group. To learn more about the JRP Group, please click here to visit the company’s website (https://www.wearejust.co.uk/)
Manager, Product Management and Development
Responsible for the management and development of all 28 products. Joined when part of a mutual, and developed over 14 products over two years in the UK, Germany, France and Belgium
GENERAL ELECTRIC (GE) LIFE (NOW PART OF LIVERPOOL VICTORIA (LV)
Life Insurance, Pensions, Equity Release | London / Hitchin, UK
GE Life was the Life and Pensions business of General Electric Insurance Holdings, part of General Electric, which at the time was one of the largest companies in the world, operating in 26 business sectors across the globe. In 2001, GE Life acquired the demutualised National Mutual Life Assurance Society, and the newly merged organisation offered a range of products, including enhanced annuities, equity release lifetime mortgages and pension products, including SIPPs. The combined businesses were later rebranded as Tomorrow following the acquisition by Swiss RE and, in 2007, was acquired by Liverpool Victoria, now known as LV=. To learn more about LV-, please click here to visit the company’s website (https://www.lv.com/)
Manager of Business Analysis and New Technologies
Responsible for a team of 70 staff, ranging from analysts to developers (including managing offshore resources). Lead the Data Management strategy and approach and the company’s online presence (websites, etc.)
ZURICH FINANCIAL (EAGLE STAR LIFE ASSURANCE)
Pensions, Life Insurance | Dublin, Ireland
Eagle Star Life Assurance was acquired by Zurich Financial Services in 1999. Zurich Life is one of the Republic of Ireland’s most successful life insurance companies, offering a full range of Pension, Investment and Protection products. The company employs over 1,000 people in Ireland across its Dublin and Wexford sites and has been meeting its customers’ needs in Ireland for 40 years. To learn more about Zurich, please click here to visit the company’s website (https://www.zurich.ie/)
Consultant – Development & Actuarial
I worked with the actuarial development team on a project designed to create a new broker quotation system. I was personally responsible for the design and development stream relating to the creation of all the XML style sheets that were presented to the brokers and financial advisers with quotations generated through the calculation engine.
SWIFT (BOLERO.NET)
Banking, Finance, Payment Systems | London, UK
Bolero.net, now known as Bolero, was founded in 1999 by a joint venture between S.W.I.F.T., the banks’ cooperatively owned data network operator and the Transport Club, a mutual marine insurer with funding from the European Commission. Bolero is a secure transaction system that helps to facilitate safer, smarter and faster global trade through its cutting-edge technology. Bolero’s solutions seamlessly connect corporates with their logistics partners and financial institutions around the world. The company is experienced in trade, maritime and cloud technology and brings the physical and financial supply chain together, allowing users to manage all their trade finance transactions, including electronic bills of lading. To learn more about Bolero, please click here to visit the company’s website (https://bolero.net/)
Consultant – Implementation
I joined SWIFT to work on the implementation of the secure payment and shipping system known as Bolero.net. I was involved in the design, launch, and implementation, as well as the development of the XSLT elements.
SCOTTISH WIDOWS (FORMERLY HILL SAMUEL ASSET MANAGEMENT)
Asset Management | London, UK
Hill Samuel Asset Management was a leading British merchant bank and financial services firm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Lloyds Banking Group’s Offshore Private Banking unit. Hill Samuel specialised in merchant banking, investment management, employee benefit services, and insurance. In 2000, Lloyds acquired the newly demutualised Scottish Widows and created the Scottish Widows Investment Partnership, known as SWIP, by merging the Scottish Widows Investment Management and Hill Samuel Asset Management businesses. SWIP was later sold to Aberdeen Asset Management in 2014, now known as Abrdn. To learn more about Abrdn, please click here to visit the company’s website (https://www.abrdn.com/)
Consultant – Migration & Integration
I joined HSAM initially to work on the migration of a front-office payment system to Oasis Global; after the project was completed, I began working on the integration of Hill Samuel into Scottish Widows following the acquisition.
BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI
Retail, Corporate Banking, Asset Management | London, UK
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, known as MUFG Bank, is the largest bank in Japan and one of the largest in the world. In the 1990s, the banks Mitsubishi Bank and the Bank of Tokyo merged and, in 2006, joined with the UFJ (United Financial of Japan), which combined the banks of Sanwa and Tokai, along with the Toyo Trust and Banking Co. Today, MUFG has offices throughout Japan and in operates in over 40 countries. To learn more about MUFG, please click here to visit the company’s website (https://www.bk.mufg.jp/)
Analyst – Front Office Data
I joined BTM to work within the front office and trading area of the bank. My role included analysing data, creating reports, and tracking performance on front office systems.
- ANALYSIS | Breach Analysis, Data Analysis, Requirements Analysis, Investment and Risk Assessment Analysis, Market and Sector Analysis
- PROGRAMME | Integration, Separation and Divestment, Project and Programme Management, Legal Operations, Product Management and Development Lifecycle
- BUSINESS | Detailed Banking, Insurance and Investment Knowledge, Actuarial, Operations, Claims, Regulatory Compliance
- FINANCIAL | Financial and Budget Management, Commercial and Legal Negotiations, Stochastic Modelling
- COMMUNICATION | People Management, Stakeholder Management and Facilitation, Vendor and Training Management
- CREATIVE | Book Production, Graphic Design, Content Development, Technical Writing, Video and Audio Development
- STRATEGY | Data Management Strategy, Digital Strategy, Strategy, Planning and Forecasting
- DESIGN | Operating Model and Organisational Design, Processes and Design Standards, Systems Architecture, Automation and Robotics
- DEVELOPMENT | Development Lifecycle, Plugin Development, Website Design and Development, XML (XSLT Development)
- BUSINESS APPLICATIONS | MS Office (Advanced Excel), MS Visio, MS Project
- DEVELOPMENT | Web – XML, XSLT, HTML, CSS, PHP, Java, JavaScript, VBA | Lotus Notes / SharePoint
- DIGITALISATION | OpenText Capture Centre, Case360, Enterprise Scan, Content Server, IDM | Tibco IProcess and Vignette | Pega Systems
- PROCESS DESIGN | UI Path and Rational Rose
- OPERATIONS | Guidewire ClaimCenter | Mainframes (LIFE400 | AS400)
- BANKING | Front Office Systems (Reuters/Bloomberg) | Payment Systems (Oasis Global, Oracle Financial)
- DATABASE AND FINANCIAL | Oracle, Sage Financial, SQL, Access, Paradox
- CREATIVE | Adobe Illustrator, Adobe After Effects, Premier Pro, Photoshop | WordPress, Elementor, Tablepress | Quark
PLEASE NOTE
The CV / Resume shown on this page is just a high-level summary of Petercw’s experiences. If you wish to find out more detailed information, please get in touch with us using the Contact Form.
36
UNIQUE SKILLS AND SPECIALISMS
36
EXPERTISE WITH SPECIALIST SYSTEMS
18
METHODOLOGIES AND LIFE CYCLES
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