People are at the heart of what we do. So each month we want to introduce you to one of our Allianz Care Champions, the wonderful staff helping our customers across the globe every day. This month, meet Mahmoud, deep sea diver and care champion.
This month we are introducing you to Mahmoud, a deep-sea diver and Allianz Care champion. Mahmoud has been a part of the Allianz team for over six years and his passion for the sea has been with him since his childhood.
As a Quality, Audit & Support Senior Officer, Mahmoud plays a crucial role in ensuring our officers are fully equipped to provide the best service possible to our customers. We sat down with Mahmoud to find out more about his love for scuba diving and his life at Allianz Care.
When did your love for the sea begin?
'Since I was a young boy, I have always loved the ocean. My hobby quickly turned into a career and I became a qualified instructor, a technical diver and eventually, my love for it lead me to a career in the Navy Seals and the Special Forces. I was a main salvage diver and I was with the Navy Seals for the majority of my life then.'
Where is your favourite place to dive?
'I think the West Coast of Ireland is fantastic, but for me, it will always be the Red Sea. In most places you dive there is either great coral or great marine life, in the Red Sea, you have both. The bio-diversity of the regions means you could see anything from small crustaceans to manta rays, whale sharks or hammerhead sharks.'
And how do you feel about swimming with sharks?
'I love them and most people are surprised to hear that they are actually very friendly. They are more playful than Dolphins. If you can get past the fear of the fact they are sharks, they are naturally very curious. You can have a whale of a time with them. My friends always say that when the diving season comes around, I’ll be the first person to see a hammerhead.'
What led you from your life with the Navy Seals & Special Forces to Allianz Care?
'I spent most of my career with the Special Forces touring the Gulf of Afghanistan, I saw some incredible things and had a fantastic career. But when I retired out of the military, we decided to return to Ireland as my wife is Irish. I was looking for a new line of work with a strong team bond and that’s when I found Allianz Care. It was the best job I could have hoped for and six years later I am still here and happy.'
Is the team bond something you love about your role in Allianz Care?
'Absolutely. It is a great support system and everyone is there for each other. If you are struggling or there is anything happening in your life, everybody tries to help. From your direct colleagues to managers, everybody cares about you as a person. We spend a lot of time together and you build a very strong bond.'
If you had to tell a customer one thing about Allianz Care, what would it be?
'We care. It is simple, but it is true. We care about people, we care about our jobs, we care about helping our customers. If you have a problem, if a customer has a problem, we genuinely care about trying to make it better.'
Every month we’ll be introducing you to a new Allianz Care Champion. People are at the
heart of what we do and we think it’s important to showcase the wonderful staff who are here every day to help our thousands of customers across the globe.