C&C Employee Benefits has strengthened its offering with the appointment of Chris Stedman as Senior Health & Benefits Consultant, enhancing its ability to deliver tailored, high-impact solutions to clients. Joining five weeks ago, Chris brings over a decade of experience across private medical insurance, group risk and broader employee benefits consultancy. His arrival comes at a time when businesses are placing increasing importance on benefits that genuinely support their people.
We caught up with him to explore his career journey, one that, like many in the industry, wasn’t part of a long-term plan. “I don’t think anyone grows up wanting to be an insurance consultant,” he says. “I fell into it, but once I got started, I realised how much opportunity there was to build a career and make a difference.” Chris began his career with PMI Health Group in a trainee role before moving into individual healthcare policies, quickly identifying where he could add the most value. “I always saw the people out meeting clients, understanding their needs and helping them make decisions, and that’s where I wanted to be.”
That ambition led him to Bupa, where he spent ten years developing his expertise across SME and corporate healthcare. In a field-based role, he built strong relationships with brokers and clients, gaining valuable insight into how businesses approach employee benefits. “It’s about getting in front of people, understanding their business and helping them make better decisions,” he explains. “That’s where you can really make an impact.”
Following further roles across broker and consultancy environments, Chris developed a well-rounded perspective on the market; one that aligns closely with C&C’s consultative approach. Having encountered the business earlier in his career, the move felt like a natural fit. “I’d known Andrew Middleton for several years and had seen C&C from the outside,” he says. “When the opportunity came up, it just felt right. The culture stood out straight away. It’s open, honest, and genuinely people-focused.”
That culture, he believes, directly influences how the business delivers for clients. “It comes from the top and runs through the whole organisation. When you see that, it makes you want to do your best work; not just for the business, but for the clients you’re supporting.”
A Changing Market
Chris joins at a time when the employee benefits landscape is evolving rapidly. Pressure on public healthcare services, combined with a growing focus on wellbeing, has shifted how businesses view their responsibilities to employees. “Benefits are now a key part of the overall employment proposition,” he explains. “People are looking beyond salary and asking what support is there if something goes wrong, for them and their families.”
Despite this shift, misconceptions remain amongst employers. “There’s still a perception that healthcare benefits are expensive or only relevant for certain businesses,” Chris says. “But that’s not really the case anymore. There are solutions available across a wide range of budgets and business sizes.” For Chris, this creates both a challenge and an opportunity. “There’s a lot of noise in the market, which can make it difficult for businesses to know what’s right for them. A big part of our role is helping clients cut through that and understand what will genuinely deliver value.”
A More Tailored Approach
One of the most significant developments in recent years has been the flexibility within employee benefits.
“It’s no longer a case of picking a single product off the shelf,” Chris explains. “We can now design solutions that combine different elements to match a client’s needs.”
This tailored approach sits at the heart of C&C Employee Benefits’ proposition, bringing together healthcare, protection and wellbeing into a more cohesive strategy. “We take the time to understand what a business is trying to achieve and then build something around that,” he says. But equally important is ensuring clients fully understand what they’re putting in place. “Clients need to know exactly what they’re buying and how it works. There’s no value in having a policy if people don’t know how to use it.”
Looking Ahead
With Chris now part of the team, C&C Employee Benefits is well-positioned to continue its growth, combining deep expertise with a genuinely client-focused approach. As businesses reassess how they support their people, Chris believes there is a clear opportunity to do things better. “With the right guidance, employee benefits can become something that genuinely supports both people and performance. Sometimes it just takes a fresh perspective to unlock something better.”
Andrew Middleton, Director at C&C Employee Benefits, says: “We’re delighted to have Chris on board. His experience is a perfect fit for where we’re heading as a team, and he’s hit the ground running. He understands both the detail of the products and the bigger picture for clients, which makes him a great addition to Employee Benefits. Welcome aboard, Chris!”
