QBE Insurance has spent the last few years restructuring its business while at the same time weaving the fabric of a global organization with a strong, cohesive culture.
Executive Summary
"You have to pull yourself back from the detail. My job is to create a canvas, to paint a very broad picture of what we're trying to achieve." That's how Pat Regan, a former CFO, described the different role of being a CEO. In an interview with Lisa Howard, Regan recalls when he first understood that aspect of leadership early in his career and how it's become even more important.A good corporate culture helps to create good financial results. Consequently, the CEO must spend his or her time painting a picture of what “good” looks like with culture and strategy. Then everybody is pulling in the same direction, affirmed Pat Regan, QBE’s group chief executive officer.
“We’ve done a lot of work on the guts of the organization, but it was really important at the same time to bring to life our culture, so people felt we had heart as well as head,” said Regan.
