Hello, I'm Jude Gomes, the Senior Vice President and Head of the Channel/Sales and Marketing department of Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company Limited, which is a partnership between two of India's largest nationalised banks - Canara Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce - and HSBC Insurance. The new Company commenced operations here in India in June 2008.

I have been fortunate enough to be associated with the HSBC Group twice over, first with my foray into the banking industry way back in 1991. Now, I am immensely proud and extremely privileged to be an employee of HSBC Insurance. My new role gives me an opportunity to script the business model for all three Channel Partners, conceiving the same ideas and then implementing them consistently, which I consider to be my biggest achievement so far.

I am passionate about creating business models, nurturing and developing teams, and being directly instrumental in adding to the bottom line of the organisation. I am also extremely happy to be able to contribute to this business in India, where each day is a special challenge.

As a start-up company, every day is different. The enormity of challenges encountered daily is diverse, in terms of manpower, infrastructure, processes, cultural issues and even geography. Conducting regular training, coaching and hand-holding, acknowledging small wins, enabling and empowering the frontline, increasing communication and connecting with people all ensure that every challenge is also an opportunity.

Insurance is a knowledge-intensive industry, and the Indian insurance industry is particularly challenging and complex. That's why it's imperative to have a very good understanding of the nuances of insurance, customers' needs and need analysis, products and product positioning, business models, various channels exposure, and distribution networks. It's also vital to have the ability to comprehend geographical and regional challenges, and most importantly, to have a knowledge of financial markets.

The HSBC brand is synonymous with values, ethical standards, defined processes, needs-based sales, strong HR practices, and for being extremely employee friendly. I treasure the exposure and use this as an opportunity to further enhance my skills and knowledge. I look forward to a meaningful professional career with HSBC Insurance. It has already been a memorable and enriching journey. And still the journey continues ..... if you are ready, come and join us!