In this episode, James and Tom are joined by Anne Rodenburg from USMX AirLink for an in-depth conversation about her remarkable journey in the assistance and air ambulance sectors. Anne shares how she found her way into this field, what drives her passion for medical aviation, and the unique role USMX AirLink plays in Mexico’s healthcare and air rescue landscape.
We also explore the company’s key specialisations, the importance of collaboration between assistance providers and operators, and Anne’s additional role with EURAMI - where she helps shape ethical standards in the global air ambulance industry.
This week, James and Tom are joined by someone who wears two major hats in the travel & health insurance world - and somehow manages to make it look easy…
Elliot Draga,
👉 Chief Commercial Officer at Nordic Insurance Software👉 President of THIA – Travel and Health Insurance Association of Canada
In this episode, we dive into:🔹 Elliot’s journey through the travel & health insurance space🔹 How technology is reshaping the industry🔹 The realities of leading both a major software organisation and a national industry association🔹 The future of claims, automation, customer experience and collaboration🔹 His impressive facial hair!
From commercial strategy through his role at NIS, to the bigger-picture vision for THIA, Elliot brings clarity, honesty, and a refreshing perspective on where we’re heading as an industry.
If you work in travel insurance, health insurance, assistance, tech, or anything in between - this one is absolutely worth a listen.
James and Tom are joined for a lively chat with Felix Klingborg from Travel Support Europe, who has been on a mission to turn customer service upside down - in a good way! Felix tells us all about their clever internal competition that’s less about dodging complaints and more about chasing those glowing compliments from customers.
It’s all about sparking a mindset shift to make customer feedback a celebration, not a chore. Plus, despite the fact he’s an Arsenal fan, Felix brings passion and teamwork to everything he does. Tune in for some great stories, laughs, and ideas on how to make exceptional service the new normal.
This week James and Tom chat to Jennifer Milton of Compass Point Assist!
Jennifer is an American, living in Bavaria (Germany) and hasn't long founded Compass Point Assist. We hear about the journey of starting an assistance company from the ground up, managing growth, and a fascinating and unique story of how the world of assistance found Jenn - and her background in salmon biology!
A fun episode where Tom and James speak to Tom Hienckes from European Air Ambulance...surprisingly all about the world of air ambulance!
We learn about the company's history and composition, as well as its strategic location in Luxembourg. Also... bees & sheep.
This week Tom and James talk to Emerson De Luca in his role as Executive Secretary of FIAT-IFTA.
Most of the industry knows Emerson from his role at Albin International, but this time he joins the podcast to discuss FIAT-IFTA and the role it plays in the international funeral and repatriation space - a key element of the assistance world.
Kristin Toth of On Call International joins Tom and James for a thoughtful conversation on the realities of the global assistance world - from resilience under pressure to the power of a truly supportive team. A grounded, quietly inspiring episode for anyone working in human-centred services.
An insightful conversation with Serge from Falck Global Assistance in the US about the evolving world of assistance. We explore where the industry is headed, diving into Serge’s forward-thinking ideas on how technology, AI, and even drones could transform the way assistance is delivered in the years ahead.
We talk to Annick, from AIMS. We learn all about the company's diverse services and Annick's background and history in the industry. We also learn all about AIMS's ongoing and impressive commitment to humanitarian work and CSR, as well as Annick's reflections on the future for tourism and economic growth for Africa. Fascinating stuff, and we hope you'll love it.
A very fun chat with a guest many of our listeners will already know. Louise Heywood shares everything you could want to know about the International Assistance Group. We talk about the upcoming forum, the groups work in elevating standards across the industry, and a whole lot more.
We chat to Les Davis, the former Brit ex-pat, working for Gouda International in Utrecht. A slightly roaming and very enjoyable conversation about the company, Les's story and the Netherlands... as well as Tom's slightly rambling ponderings on the future of AI. Maybe we'll forgive him just this once as he wasn't well.
Tom Uddenberg joins us to talk about AirMedic, the Quebec based air ambulance company. We hear about his move to the industry from aviation, as well as the company's story and growth.
Mark Lee is an international travel solicitor, and an adviser to the insurance industry. Mark shares his experience and journey with Tom and Juan, as well as also giving some fascinating insight into the New Consumer Duty, and its ramifications for the travel insurance industry.
Tom and Juan chat to James Wilson and Gian Sumagpao from Healix, as we take a deep dive into the role of Medical Case Managers. An essential part of the team within any assistance company, we find out about their responsibilities, their work and what makes their role so crucial
Presented by Tom and Juan, Robert Hoey tells us the fascinating story of going from a trainee in the funeral business, to President of Funeral Support Services Co, in Japan. Robert tells us about moving to Japan, getting introduced to the funeral industry, and overcoming huge challenges to create a hugely successful funeral services company. We learn a lot about the industry, about Japan and about Robert. A fascinating and inspiring episode. Not one to miss!
Fascinating talk with Rhea Akiki of Swan International. Swan has a rich history, and is a key part of the industry. Based in Lebanon, Rhea gives us an amazing insight into the realities of the current situation on the ground there.
A fascinating look into insurance for the private rental market, and sharing economy. We're learn a lot about just how complex insurance can be for those renting their properties on platforms like Airbnb, and we heard Louise's thoughts on the future of private rental.
You can find Louise on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-birritteri-b0b12620/
Claudia Schmiedhuber, previously of EURAMI, joins the podcast to tell us all about her new home, GAMTI. GAMTI provided education and training to the Travel and Medical Assistance world, and we hear all about it. It's a fascinating episode, and not one to miss.
You can contact Claudia at https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-schmiedhuber/
We chat to Declan McDermott and Kate Fitzpatrick, from World Travel Protection. We learn all about their work in security, travel risk management and hear their insights on safety and global travel trends for the future.
You can contact the guests at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/declan-mcdermott-71569a18/
and
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-fitzpatrick-3408a025/
Back at last with our first episode of Season 5. A fascinating chat with Nadeem Sheikh-Ali from Charles Taylor. We hear all about life insight one of the UK's leading assistance operations, and about Nadeem's work and career.