Penny Speed meets... Gail Cook Head of UK Financial Lines at Zurich

What was your first ever job — and were you any good at it?
Working in a fruit and veg shop. I was very good; I could weigh out a perfect quarter pound of mushrooms without scales 

If an MP3 player could only hold three tunes, what would you select for the ultimate soundtrack to your life?
I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith – the first dance at our wedding; What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong – gives me goosebumps every time; and Lithium by Nirvana – this used to be my ‘Friday song’ when I drove to work and played it very loudly to banish any end‑of‑week weariness

Who was your top teenage pin-up?
Donny Osmond – and I still think he’s really handsome

My colleagues won’t know this about me but...
I was born in a castle

Favourite book of all time?
The Magus by John Fowles. I’ve read it twice and am still confused, but happily so

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
In business we can’t stand still, we can only go backwards or forwards. I try to move forwards every day

If you could be Prime Minister for the day, what change would you instigate and why?
Being a Scot, I’d like to trial independence for Scotland. It’s such a big decision that it would be good to test-run it first

How would a typical school report about you read?
Gail works very hard but is prone to chatter

My last supper would comprise...
Easy – good Scottish fare, mince and tatties

Who has been the most influential person in your life?
The person who offered me my first job in insurance, 27 years ago. Like many, I fell into the industry, but it’s been an enormous part of my life and I still love it

When I’m not working I like to...
Indulge in a bit of fine dining. And you can’t beat listening to a bit of live music – preferably outdoors and with a drink in my hand

Last film you saw?
The World’s End. It was a bit disappointing; not a patch on Shaun of the Dead

If I wasn’t working in insurance I would probably be...
I’ve no idea. It would have to be people‑centred, though, that’s what makes work interesting

Name your five ideal dinner party guests (dead or alive) noting what they bring to the party
Billy Connolly – not only a fellow Scot, but nobody has ever made me laugh so much; Dave Grohl – the ‘nice guy of rock’, and he must have some great rock and roll stories; Bill Shankly, the most loved manager of Liverpool FC, for his charisma; Donny Osmond, because my inner 10-year‑old could still swoon at the sight of him; and Queen Boadicea, because every dinner party needs some strong women around the table

Marmite: food of the gods or work of the devil?
Bizarrely, I’m one of the few on the fence

If you could travel back in time, where would you go?
Just far back enough to meet my maternal grandmother. She is a bit of a legend in our family and died before I was born

Finish this sentence: Insurance is a great industry to work in because...
There is such a variety of roles in this industry that it has something for everyone. Oh, and the people are pretty good too

Would you like to be probed by Penny on one of her speed meets? Get in touch via stephanie.denton@incisivemedia.com

This article was published in the 31 October edition of Post magazine