Peter Brown – 1972 – 1976

Tell us about your time at SKC.

My parents suggested to me in 1971 that I might consider St Kevins for secondary school. We lived in Dunedin, and there were plenty of schools to choose, but they were not that impressed by them and thought.

I might be interested in boarding at St Kevin's. We visited, and I agreed to come to SKC.

Not long after that, there was an article in the ODT about the "hair cut strike", which was an attempt by pupils to be allowed a wider range of haircuts than the then standard "short back and sides". I think my parents

wondered what sort of school they had agreed to send me to! Anyway, not much had changed regarding haircuts when I got there in 1972, but change was on the way and by the time I left in 1976, long hair was

quite common.

I found mixing with a range of boys from backgrounds that were quite different to mine (mainly rural) a little hard to start with, but it turned out to be a great experience and gave me a much wider perspective on life.

I was an academically focused child and excelled in that area par,ticularly mathematics and the sciences. I was always at or near to the top of the class and ended up as Dux in 1976. Or should I say Co-Dux, and there were two of us – Mark McCarthy and myself. I think that was the first time that happened.

However, not all hard work but lots of enjoyment with team sports and other activities such as the Bishops Shield. Rugby (front row in the 3rd XV) was to the fore, but I also enjoyed other sports, such as athletics field

events and basketball. Playing in the unique handball courts and attempting golf also featured.

One frightening story was a return to Dunedin at the end of one term on the school arranged bus and the brakes failing as we drove down the hill into Dunedin. We ended up crashing through the gate into the

Botanic Gardens and fortunately stopping before we ended up in the Leith. We were all a bit shaken up.

In my final year it was decided to start a student newspaper, wiSeKraCs and I was the editor. A good bit of fun, and I am unsure whether it continued the following year.

What have you been doing since leaving SKC?

I attended Otago University after school and predictably majored in Mathematics and Statistics, completing a BSC(Hons) in 1980. I then joined Provident Life Assurance in Wellington as a trainee Actuary. At that

time, I was not really sure what an Actuary was, but it combined mathematics and statistics with business, and that seemed a good mix to me.

I qualified as an Actuary in 1988 and stayed working in Insurance for what was effectively the same company until I retired from full time work in 2016. Since then, I have done some consulting and acted as a

volunteer.

So, what is an Actuary, you ask? Simply put, they are the technical expert who ensures enough is charged in premiums to cover claims and that enough capital is retained to ensure that the insurer can meet claims

when they happen. A key balance is ensuring that shareholders and policyholders are both treated fairly and equitably.

My career started in Life Insurance, and then I moved later to Auckland and into Fire and General Insurance. My last role was as Chief Financial Officer for Vero Insurance. Still effectively part of the same

company I started with – there were many name changes, ownership changes, mergers and acquisitions along the way.

I spent two periods working in the United Kingdom on secondment, and I was also involved in a whole range of things, such as managing merger and acquisition activity and ensuring we remained financially stable and viable following the Canterbury Earthquakes. One of the most fulfilling activities was the purchase of a share of what is now AA Insurance. – a joint venture between the current owner of Vero – Suncorp, and the NZ Automobile Association. I served on the Board there for several years and am extremely proud of how successful that business has become. So, a work life with plenty of variety.

As you can see work was the dominant part of my life for about 36 years. I never married and so remain single to this day. I did, however, end up spending time serving my profession and was in 2005-06 the President of the New Zealand Society of Actuaries.

Outside of work and profession, I enjoy travelling widely - both within New Zealand and around the world.

There are a few parts of NZ I have not visited, and I also aim to go somewhere each year that I have not been to. The wilder and more remote, the better - last year was Great Barrier Island. I've recently rediscovered

cycling and now have an e-bike, which is great fun.

I have remained an involved Catholic, served in many roles within my parish, and chaired the Auckland Diocesan Pastoral Council for 2 years. Today, I act as a Lay Leader for liturgies when our priest in unavailable, and I use my professional knowledge to assist the church with arranging its Property Insurance program at a national level.

How did SKC shape you for life outside of school?

The early 1970s was an interesting time to be a Catholic with all the change that was coming following Vatican 2. As I noted above, I have remained an active Catholic, and I think some of that was a result of the

changes at that time and that we were able to question and challenge things in our Religious Education classes. I've always enjoyed discussing issues and coming to my own view rather than just being told what

is right.

Also, the discipline of daily study clearly helped me achieve my academic goals and that led me into an interesting and fulfilling profession that I was well suited for. I think that also led me to see that service beyond just what the job required was part of life, and my service to the actuarial profession and the Catholic Church resulted from that.

Finally, I am naturally fairly introverted, but I think the mixing one does in a boarding school environment helped me to gain skills that enabled me to succeed in my life.

Article added: Monday 11 November 2024