Confidas is committed to offering a first class service that meets the needs of both insurance advisers, and clients alike. You can count on our dedicated, professional and friendly team to respond quickly to your queries and requests.
Here’s who we are:
Sarah Harvey
Existing Business Manager
Sarah is a Personal Insurance Adviser working within a specialist team at Confidas. She has worked closely alongside her colleagues Aaron, Nigel and Emma for over 10 years, all of whom now help the company create its reputation for expert personal service for its customers.
Sarah has nearly 20 years insurance industry experience, most of which has been specializing in the high and mid net worth insurance market. Her particular expertise lies in the intricacies of underwriting household insurance, and being an excellent team player, she often uses her knowledge to mentor and guide others in her team.
Outside of Confidas, Sarah is a busy Mum of two young children and in her spare time enjoys spending time with family and friends, including the outdoor life through camping trips within the UK.
Emma Logan
HR & Training Consultant
Emma is a Personal Insurance Adviser working within a specialist team at Confidas. She’s held a variety of roles within both Smith Greenfield and now Confidas since 2003, giving her a valued understanding and knowledge of how the business works, and how expert personal service for its customers has brought success for the company.
Emma has over 18 years’ experience across the insurance and reinsurance industry, working for leading providers such as Aon, Norwich Union (now Aviva) and AIG, before joining Smith Greenfield in 2003. Her knowledge and experience has been multi-functional, including customer servicing, operational and sales, in both direct-to-customer and broker markets, across personal insurances (motor, household and accidental death) and retail savings product lines.
Before joining Smith Greenfield, redundancy gave Emma and her now husband the opportunity to take nearly a years’ sabbatical travelling around Australia and New Zealand. This was an incredible life experience. Emma is now a busy Mum of two and in her spare time enjoys regular visits to the gym to stay fit, and socialising with friends.
Steve Smith FRSA
CEO
Steve began his career in broking at Sedgwicks, where he placed International Property and Construction risks in the Lloyds and Company markets. He went on to build a strong reputation in the Private Client and Fine Arts market – advising owners of historic houses, art and antiques dealers, private and corporate art collectors and Fine Art Auctioneers.
In 1996, Steve formed Smith Ross Shane & Company to create a successful and well-respected private client and corporate brokerage business. In 2007 a merger with Giles Greenfield formed Smith Greenfield Services Plc.
Today, the business continues to flourish under Steve, with a focus on significant investment in new insurance solutions for High Net Worth individuals. Most recently the launch of the ‘Confidas’ brand now provides exceptional products and services exclusively for insurance advisers to offer.
Mandy Smith
Finance Director
Mandy worked in the finance industry for 15 years before setting up Smith Greenfield as a co-owner and launching Confidas with the other directors. For the last five years of her career running up to this, she was Associate Director of Capital Asset Finance, part of Rothschilds.
Her passion, drive and desire to one day own her own business means Confidas was always on the cards for Mandy. She sets herself high targets and this includes giving the best service possible – which Mandy always will go out of her way to achieve.
However, no insurance in the world could possibly cover Mandy’s most prized possessions and valuable gifts – her three sons. When not at home or work, Mandy enjoys sport – particularly hockey – as well as theatre, concerts and general socialising. In fact Mandy has friends all over the UK and makes a point of keeping in touch and meeting up with them regularly. She’s never fallen out with any of her friends – maybe because she practices her favourite motto ‘honesty is the best policy’. And she honestly strives to make sure that Confidas has the very best policies, too.
Matthew Martin
Head of Operations
Working with Smith Greenfield and now Confidas since 2002, Matthew has a distinguished career in insurance. After studying geology at Kingston Polytechnic, he decided Insurance was a better career prospect and went to work for the Prudential as a field agent. He later went on to specialise in Private Client, Antique Dealer, Auctioneer and Fine Art Collection insurance with Needham Johnson & Company.
Matthew has a great knack for problem solving and is known professionally for managing change. Matthew has an aversion to mobile phones and rarely uses one. In fact at weekends, to get away from it all, he enjoys walking in the great outdoors. The Cumbrian Fells are a firm favourite, but Surrey Hills are the most frequent substitute. When stuck indoors, you’ll find Matthew reading about or watching Formula 1.
His favourite quote is: “When you’re going through hell, keep going,” by Winston Churchill. It’s a great reminder to never, ever give up.
Paul Birch
Head of Confidas
Paul has held various underwriting and broking roles since he began his insurance career as a trainee with Commercial Union in their marine department. After positions in claims and London Market operations, Paul opted to focus on UK Marine underwriting. Apart from a 2 year hiatus writing bank and building society block schemes, commercial marine remained the centre of his 10 years at CU when their merger with General Accident gave him his first opportunity to travel.
Returning to insurance after 8 months travelling around South America he took a role with Devitt, part of the RBS Insurance empire, developing their personal lines business. Then the allure of marine came calling again, this time in the guise of Yacht business. Paul spent 6 years working at Amlin as Marketing and Business Development Manager in their Yacht department. Once again the chance to travel arose, this time a full investigation of the world, visiting 29 countries in 365 days and learning “two beers please” in 26 languages!
Paul once again returned to insurance – while we never understand how we get into insurance, we never seem to leave! Firstly he headed up underwriting at underwriting agency Velos, and then moved to Managing Director of Bishop Skinner Marine (part of Marsh Commercial) where he also took on responsibility of managing personal lines insurer relationships and first became aware of Confidas. When the role of Head of Underwriting at Confidas came up, Paul’s impression of the business was that this was too good an opportunity to miss.
Outside of insurance, sport tends to dominate his life (much to his patient wife’s frustration) playing golf throughout the summer and hockey in the winter. Unsurprisingly, travel is his other passion. With a target of visiting all 193 UN member state countries in his lifetime, Paul is currently a few short of making it half way to his goal.
Elaine Sacker
Claims Manager
Elaine began her career in insurance working for the Prudential where she worked in the accounts and household underwriting depts. Since then she has continued her career in various insurance companies and brokers covering a variety of insurances including home, travel, personal accident/illness and small commercial policies. She has a wide range of knowledge having held many roles in both the underwriting and the claim side of the business.
Elaine came to Confidas in 2016 and enjoys the day to day challenges of working in the claims department. Customer service is a priority; even a small claim can be a nuisance in today’s busy world. Her aim is to make our client’s journey through the life of the claim as smooth as possible, giving clear helpful advice, information, support and utilising a bank of expert suppliers when needed.
Outside of work Elaine enjoys going to music gigs, getting out and about with her dog and keeping up with friends and family.
Amanda Stentiford
Underwriter
Amanda started her career with Commercial Union dealing with Household and Motor insurance, this continued until the merger with General Accident when she moved to Commercial underwriting specialising in Motor Trade insurance, she became an Underwriting Manager in 2012 and worked with her team of underwriters with a panel of Brokers mostly local to Croydon until she left for pastures new at the end of 2019 when she joined Confidas.
Amanda enjoys working with Brokers to find the best solution for their clients and is passionate about providing a good service.
Outside of work, Amanda enjoys spending time with her family and friends, catching up over a meal or having time away at her caravan on the Sussex coast, her four cats and a dog keep her busy at home.
