Citywealth Leaders List, 60 seconds interview – Jacob Fay, John Lamb Hill Oldridge
This week’s 60-second Citywealth Leaders List interview is dedicated to Jacob Fay, Life Insurance Broker at John Lamb Hill Oldridge.
Tell Citywealth readers a bit about your role.
I am an advisor at John Lamb Hill Oldridge, a specialist life insurance brokerage focused on serving high and ultra-high-net-worth clients. Our primary work involves arranging life cover to mitigate inheritance tax liabilities and ensure there is sufficient liquidity for the client’s family upon death, helping to preserve the estate and avoid forced sales of assets.
We collaborate closely with private client lawyers, accountants, and tax advisors as part of a wider advisory team. Together, we develop tailored solutions that integrate life insurance into estate planning strategies, ensuring it is structured effectively to meet the client’s objectives.
Tell us about some recent, interesting client instructions/requests you have received.
Our clients often participate in activities that insurers classify as “hazardous”, though these are typically just their hobbies. These can include pursuits such as heli-skiing, wreck diving, mountaineering, and motor racing. In fact, one client listed nearly every activity insurers typically flag as high-risk which was interesting to navigate… Each insurer views these activities differently, and their willingness to provide cover depends on a range of factors. Having an in depth knowledge of the market and understanding the details which insurers require enables us to find the most appropriate solution.
What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?
The legislative changes announced in the October 2024 Budget, particularly those affecting the non-dom regime, agricultural and business reliefs, and pensions, are resulting in significantly higher inheritance tax liabilities for many clients. By structuring an appropriate life insurance solution, we can help manage these increased liabilities and ensure liquidity is available when needed, without disrupting the estate.
Additionally, we have seen medical underwriting become increasingly challenging for clients, with insurers more frequently applying premium loadings for health or lifestyle disclosures. We manage this process in-house and engage the entire market to present each client’s circumstances in the most favourable light. Insurers often take widely varying approaches to the same set of disclosures, so it’s essential that we approach the full market to secure the most competitive terms available.
What is your proudest professional achievement?
Completing my Diploma in under a year and receiving official sign-off after just 2.5 years at the firm has been a key milestone in my development. It has enabled me to start generating my own enquiries and build a network of professional connections in a relatively short period. This progress has given me greater autonomy and ownership over my client book, allowing me to contribute more meaningfully to the business.
What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?
For me, the most important qualities in a leader are respectand setting the rightattitude. Respect within a team is built by treating everyone fairly, really listening, and showing that you care. When people feel respected, they’re more motivated and engaged.
Setting the right attitude is equally important in terms of leading from the front and setting the example yourself. By doing so you build trust and make people want to follow you because they see you’re willing to do the hard work alongside them. When you combine respect with leading by example, you create a strong foundation for a successful team.
Who do you most admire and why?
There are a few people I could mention, but if I had to pick one, it would be Freddie Flintoff. I grew up watching him play cricket for England and always admired his fierce competitive spirit combined with his knack for entertaining. He had this great balance of intensity and charisma that made him both a tough player and really engaging to watch. Equally admirable is how openly he’s talked about his mental health struggles since his retirement and helping to break the stigma around it.
Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?
My most recent trip was to Bergerac in France. Good food, wine and weather so can’t complain!
If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?
I would like to think that I would be a professional sportsman but sadly that ship might have sailed. Perhaps coaching a sports team would be more achievable.
How do you relax after a long day?
Playing sport whether that be golf, cricket, football, padel, pretty much anything. It has always been my passion and the exercise combined with healthy competition takes my mind off everything else.
John Lamb Hill Oldridge’s Citywealth Leaders List profile
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