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30 years at Bupa! Aren't I lucky?!

Tony Dockerill, Digital Transformation Director for Bupa Global & UK, reflects on the last 30 years of his career at Bupa. From the friendships he's gained to witnessing the digital transformation the organisation has undergone over the years, Tony shares his story with us.

This month I celebrated 30 years of working for Bupa.

It’s a huge milestone that seems to have crept up on me and I’m grateful for all the kind words and messages from colleagues both inside and outside the business (there were a few age related ones that weren’t quite so funny).

I think I'm very lucky…

I'm lucky to have grown up with what I think is the greatest healthcare business in the world, and in that time, I’ve seen this great organisation go through so many changes.

I've been lucky to work in many different parts of the organisation, with lots of different and amazing people…

I've been lucky to work on lots of different ‘things’… from answering phone calls in the call centre in Woodford, to now leading the most amazing team in UK Digital (a team that I’m hugely proud of and who are delivering brilliant customer experiences).

I've been lucky to build some amazing relationships (not to mention meeting my wife, maybe she's the lucky one here) and friendships…

I've been lucky to work somewhere that has always had the most incredible purpose – helping people live longer, healthier happier lives…

For 30 years, I've worked for a business with no shareholders, where customers are the focus. A provident association which means profits are reinvested into providing more and better healthcare for the benefit of current and future customers.

I'm lucky to have so many memories that continue to inspire me. I've been gifted insight and advice that has changed my thinking, my approach and ultimately shaped the person I am today.

There are so many names, I can’t possibly mention you all but maybe you can spot yourself in some of the photos … but I think you will remember who you are, and I hope you realise the part you played in helping me over the last three decades.

I will share one moment, not long after I joined Bupa, where I attended an event held by the then customer services director, Alison Platt.

She was always an inspirational character, but at the end of the presentation to a full auditorium, she pointed to me and my colleagues and said;

"When you strip it all down, when you take away all of the brochures and advertising and the marketing literature, when you remove the corporate language and the commercial realities...WE help people, YOU help people and every day you help people stop worrying, you help them get better, you help save lives, you make a difference. You help people live longer, healthier, happier lives. And ask yourself…what could possibly be more important…what could possibly be of greater purpose?"

That speech has never left me. I plagiarised it a few times (sorry Alison) and I saw it inspire others.

So, 30 years on, I have an overriding sense of gratitude for being able to be part of this incredible business. I'm still really excited by our purpose and the passion of the people I see around me, and maybe, in the 70 plus years Bupa has been around, that purpose has never been more important.

And now, 30 years gone and looking forward. I've just seen Iñaki Ereño, Bupa Group CEO, present his vision for Bupa and it couldn’t be more insightful, clear and exciting. And we have a new UK CEO, Carlos Jaureguizar Ruiz-Jarabo, who is bringing with him his passion for digital transformation which I’m looking forward to delivering on.

Oh and I think I may be a ‘super millennial’.

Another 30 years maybe… Wow… how lucky I’ll be then?!