 After National Service, he joined Commercial Union in 1961, and became a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries in 1966.He rose to the positions of Life Manager (1978 to 1980), Deputy General Manager (1981 to 1982), General Manager (1983 to 1986) and Director (1987 to 1994) before becoming Chief Executive in 1994.He stepped down from this post in 1998, the year in which he was knighted and made an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College.