In our special column this month, we are glad to host an interview with Mr. Peregrine Storrs-Fox, Risk Management Director, TT Club who advises us to take time to reflect, evaluate and plan when challenges appear. In that regard, coaching can help in unblocking situations and charting new directions.
Mr. Storrs-Fox also mentions that the pandemic gave him the opportunity to segregate his work life more effectively as it opened a new word of opportunities where you can combine different work styles.
SAFETY4SEA: How did it come about that you joined shipping industry and your field of expertise specifically?
Peregrine Storrs-Fox: I read law at university and, through the options I took, became increasingly interested in issues relating to international trade, carriage of goods and how disputes are processed in different jurisdictions. Looking to find a career that allowed me to develop these interests, I fell into marine and transport insurance, handling claims and disputes from around the world.
S4S: What about your current job/ role most excites you and why?
P.S.F.: My career has fallen into two halves, the first relating to dispute resolution and the second evaluating the risks that arise across the industry in order to identify ways to mitigate or prevent losses. Over the last couple of decades it has been extremely rewarding to collaborate with numerous industry groupings, governments and UN agencies defining issues where safety and security can be enhanced or business processes streamlined and made more sustainable.
S4S: When you think of the word successful who’s the first person who comes to mind and why?
P.S.F.: The definition of “success” tends to be subjective; many who are widely seen as successful and their achievements can be rightly celebrated. As a Christian, I’m impressed by the wisdom and integrity of the Bible in guiding about success. I’d also say that Jesus Christ was the one who most clearly defined what success means and has had significant impact as a result through the centuries and around the globe.
S4S: Who is/was the most influential person/mentor to you & why ?
P.S.F: I have been fortunate to have had significant input from a raft of people, through family and friends, and from school teachers to many amazing colleagues and partners in the work environment. Those who’ve had the greatest influence have delivered direct, honest assessments with supreme gentleness and understanding.
S4S: What is the best and what was the worst piece of advice you’ve ever been given and why?
P.S.F.: There’s a proverb that plans fail for lack of counsel, but succeed with many advisers. For me, the point about good or bad advice relates to the extent I have been diligent in making room for different voices and evaluating carefully. Life is fundamentally about continuous learning, and that’s avoiding relaxing in good decisions as much as recovering well from those that are less good.
S4S: What is the most worthwhile career investment (in energy, time, money) you’ve ever made?
P.S.F: One of the biggest challenges – at least for me – in all aspects of life is taking sufficient time to reflect, evaluate and plan. As a result, a few times through my career I have deliberately stepped out of daily routines to have coaching. Those spaces have helped disproportionately in unblocking situations, revisiting thinking and assumptions, and charting new directions.
S4S: If you could give a piece of advice to your 18-year-old-self one thing, what would it be and why? What piece of advice should you ignore?
P.S.F: Always evaluate carefully the full impact of change, particularly any beyond your control or choice, and be tenacious in securing the right level of support or investment to ensure that the change can be managed effectively. Whatever hard lessons we face in life, however, the key thing is to develop resilience through the come-back, remembering that we can learn most from mistakes.
S4S: In the last five years, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your business life?
P.S.F.: It is less a new belief, behavior or habit, but the pandemic has brought many things into stark relief. We have all faced degrees of isolation – from family, friends, colleagues and contacts – impacting all levels of relationship. The emerging world shows that we need to accommodate virtual, hybrid and in-person relating and work styles. In my own case, the new world has brought opportunity to segregate my work life more effectively.
S4S: What would you like to change in the current maritime landscape and your area of expertise specifically and why?
P.S.F.: Through TT Club’s market position, I have had substantial opportunity to work collaboratively across the industry and with multiple cultures. I’ve found huge passion and energy devoted towards enhancing safety and security, as well as efficiencies, through embracing innovation and digitalisation, and see that the collaborative model delivers most value by developing common understanding to issues, and breaking down barriers and fixed mindsets. Despite globalisation, too much remains bespoke, undermining value generation and service delivery.
S4S: What is your personal motto?
P.S.F.: Always challenge the word “can’t”!
The views presented hereabove are only those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
