Sam Ward

hitting the high notes

Based in Manchester, Sam who works at broking firm Tysers, deals with a wide range of performers – from singer-songwriters booking their first pub gigs right up to major bands performing at the Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds festivals.

Sam is a senior client executive working in the firm’s live music section, which also includes DJs. Working closely with one of the directors at Tysers, Sam arranges insurance for artists that protects them against damage to their equipment, their health and the possibility they might have to cancel a performance. “It may not be the most glamorous role,” says Sam, “but I get to peek behind the curtains of the music industry – and it’s fascinating.”

Sam’s route into insurance was, unusually, via a degree in film and media studies. “My degree touched on all aspects of the media including live music. But when I left, I didn’t know what I wanted to do so went back to my old part-time job at Sainsbury’s for a while. Then, my partner’s friend, who worked in insurance, mentioned they had an admin role going. My partner wasn’t interested so I went for it.”

Managers were impressed that Sam had experience of live music so he began in their south Manchester office.  From that initial administration role, he was promoted to senior client executive. Now he deals with any musician with a UK-based company plus he’s taken Belgian insurance qualifications so that he can work for acts based in Europe. “We get a lot of Nordic rock bands,” Sam laughs.

Working from either office or home, Sam has been exceptionally busy over the last three months. “One minute you can be dealing with an emerging songwriter, helping them to get started – getting them basic insurance; the next you’re working on a huge tour with a stage set-up costing millions of pounds. Now that lockdown is over, I’m looking forward to going to see some clients – and some live music.”