Take a lesson in empathy from Wimpie van der Merwe

Wimpie van der Merwe is a dear friend of CN&CO. He’s also the CEO and founder of Global Choices, a regular contributor to the South African insurance media, and someone whose articles are read and remembered across the industry.

We’ve been lucky to work with him on editing many of his articles – not because they need much fixing, but because we love being part of the process. His words are always grounded in empathy, care and a genuine desire to make people’s lives better. Whether he’s talking about customer service, mental well-being or gratitude, his message is always clear: put people first.

His next piece – coming soon in FIA Insight – might just be our favourite yet! It’s about his dogs, Zeus and Scout, and what they’ve taught him about empathy, joy and looking after others. As always with Wimpie, there’s a strong connection between the personal and the professional. He reminds us that customer care is, at its core, human care. And sometimes the best lessons in humanity come from animals.

If you haven’t read Wimpie’s writing before, here are a few of his past articles we highly recommend:

Keep an eye out for his new article. And if you ever get the chance to chat to Wimpie, do. He’s as warm in person as he is on the page.