Diary of an Insurer: Brown & Brown’s Sam Hooper

Monday

The week kicked off early with a drive out of London to the GB Hockey training base at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre near Marlow. 

On arrival, I dialled into a Brown & Brown acquisition update meeting, where we reviewed the live deals and discussed any issues raised by the wider due diligence team.

Hockey training then began with a speed session on the indoor track, followed by a pitch-based technical session. Mondays are generally lighter physically, so we focused on set pieces and refining our individual skills.

After lunch, I caught up with some of the M&A team and followed up on points raised in the morning’s call. I also checked in with clients on my live acquisitions to align plans for the week. 

We had a squad strength and conditioning session in the late afternoon before I travelled back to London – Mondays are always my night to cook.

Tuesday

Tuesdays are always full-on, and this one was no different.

 We began with a team meeting and video analysis at hockey training, breaking down footage from recent matches and training sessions. 

Thankfully, the pitch had thawed enough for us to get straight out for our first session.

We had a talk on nutrition and performance psychology over lunch. In the afternoon, I worked through emails and checked in with our legal team to ensure everything was moving on the deal front. 

After the second pitch session of the day, I visited my parents, who live nearby, for a home-cooked meal and some family time.

Wednesday

The day started with a recovery check-in – a session with the physios followed by stretching and mobility work. 

Then it was straight into our toughest training session: an inter-squad match, simulating the intensity of competitive fixtures.

We’re mid-campaign in the FIH Pro League and currently sitting at the top of the table, so focus is high as we also gear towards the Euros in August.

After training, a few of us headed into Marlow for lunch before returning to Bisham for a second gym session. After three solid days of training, I was happy to keep the evening low-key. I cooked dinner with my girlfriend and spent the evening relaxing at home back in London.

Thursday

I was back in the office for a full day with the Brown & Brown team. 

After working remotely for the first half of the week, it was great to catch up in person. I joined several project meetings and progressed a few key acquisition tasks.

After work, I headed to Wimbledon for club training. The rest of the squad had trained earlier in the week, but the international players – myself included – returned on Thursday ahead of our Saturday fixture. 

After training, a few of the boys headed back to the clubhouse for a sauna, followed by a very late dinner at home.

Friday

Friday started with a robustness session and some pilates at my local gym – both crucial in keeping me fit and available for selection. Then, it was straight into another full working day.

Friday tends to be a bit quieter on the meeting front, so it was a good opportunity to progress my projects, check in on my deals task list and ensure the deal reports are all up to date in our systems.

By late afternoon, everything was wrapped up and ready to go again on Monday. I headed out for dinner but made sure I got an early night ahead of match day on Saturday.