PROFILE 2019 | THE FORTUNE 500
CONTENT FROM GUARDIAN
WWW.FORTUNE.COM/ADSECTIONS
THIS YEAR MARKS MANY FIRSTS FOR
Guardian as the mutual firm continues to diver-
sify for growth and maintaining strong dividends.
A rebranding that includes a new identity and
new consumer-advertising campaign, a migra-
tion of data operations to the cloud, the launch of
a direct-to-consumer platform, and the move of
headquarters to New York City’s Hudson Yards
development all signal a pivotal moment in the
company’s 159-year history.
“Our belief in always doing right by our custom-
ers has set us up nicely for the transformation
facing the insurance industry,” says president and
CEO Deanna Mulligan. “Reengineering to becomeconsumer-first is easier when that’s been your
orientation from day one.”
But advancing consumer innovation while
serving 27 million customers requires the
company to modernize its technology backbone.
To operate in today’s digital and data-driven
world, Guardian has addressed its technical debt
and legacy operating systems. After more than a
year of careful evaluation, planning, and piloting,
the company became the first major insurance
company to make a full migration to the cloud,
shuttering its last physical data center in Novem-
ber of 2018.
“Now, our tech talent is focusing on driving
consumer value rather than managing our data
sites,” remarked Dean Del Vecchio, Guardian’s
chief of operations and CIO, during the 2018 AWS
re:Invent global cloud conference keynote to more
than 50,000 attendees. “We can invest, test and
learn, fail quickly, and collaborate with insure-tech
partners more effectively.”
“Our growing digital capabilities allow us to
meet the needs of the customers we serve on
their terms, not ours or those of the industry,”
says Andrew McMahon, head of strategy and
newly appointed leader of Guardian’s Individual
Markets business. “We are challenging everyone
at Guardian to rethink anything in the interest of
making every consumer touchpoint exceptional
and effortless.”
The company will shift from downtown Man-
hattan for the first time since its founding in 1860
when it relocates to Hudson Yards on the far west
side of New York City this summer. According to
Mulligan: “All this change is in service to our mis-
sion to serve more people, because—as our new
brand advertising campaign says—we believe
‘everyone deserves a Guardian.’”■A near 160-year-old firm invests in its workforce to create
exceptional and effortless experiences for consumers.Change at
Guardian Is About
Remaining True to
Founding Principles
DEANNA MULLIGAN
President and CEO
Guardian“Our belief in always doing
right by our customers
has set us up nicely for the
transformation facing the
insurance industry.”