Penny Black’s Social Diary: Howden’s comedy; QBE’s mix-up
Penny Black shares the tittle-tattle she overheard at insurance industry events, reviewing the quality of buffets at conferences, and giving a thumbs up – or down – to the sector's social media posts.
Comedy quintet
I never thought I’d see the insurance industry and stand-up comedy collide beyond our British Insurance Awards hosts, but Howden Group’s head of transition advisory Tony Rooke proved me wrong .
His LinkedIn announcement of a comedic debut alongside “a lawyer, a TV producer, a therapist, a cameraman and a climate consultant” had me intrigued.
The quintet apparently “rocked the room completely” at a North London venue after completing a six-week course with comedy guru Mark Maier.
The most heart warming part? The avalanche of industry support in the comments championing his venture into humour.
While we wouldn’t select Rooke for something as monumental as Insurance Post’s British Insurance Awards, he could have a stab at our Claims and Fraud Awards if he’d like to test out his routine on an insurance audience?
Penny’s Lunch Box
Convex knows exactly how to impress the industry’s most discerning palate (mine). Their charcuterie and cheese spread was a masterclass in abundant elegance.
The floor to ceiling windows bathing the meticulously arranged selection in warm golden hour sunlight went a long way in further elevating the experience.
An honourable mention for the honey-glazed sausages that didn’t make it onto the main table and were instead spread around the side tables in the room, the off-centre location made it far less obvious when I guzzled as many as I could.
Five stars. This is how you do a corporate spread that doesn’t leave your guests sneaking off to Pret afterwards!
Out of context
“She asked what the journalist’s hobbyhorse was and I started describing their interests.”
A QBE spokesperson confesses her linguistic mix-up when asked about a journalist’s preferred topics.
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