theceomagazine.com | 67Generali was listed in
MIT Technology Review’s
‘World’s 50 Smartest
Companies’ of 2015. This
was for gathering health
and fitness data from
wearables to calculate
insurance rates for
participating customers.“Generali is committed to business innovation, customer advocacy,
and operational excellence. We are proud that Appian’s digital
transformation platform is helping Generali support those values
by creating an environment to accelerate the pace of change
across the company’s Asia business.” – Karen Astley, APAC Regional
Vice President, Appianit successfully, has allowed insurers to
develop customised products and services
to address individual customers’ needs.”
This data-centric focus comes under
the broader concept of innovation, one
of the pillars of Generali’s operating model.
“We constantly challenge ourselves to rethink
insurance in a simpler and smarter way,”
Roberto states. “We ask ourselves, what can
be done with innovation and technology to
drive value creation for customers and how
we can accelerate our speed in delivering
insurance solutions to the market?”
This has become a welcome challenge
for the business, especially as it continues to
develop its reach in the Asian insurance
market. “As a relatively late entrant, we have
to disrupt the traditional big players through
our approach to service, a differentiated brand
position, and by constantly remembering
the noble purpose of the industry,” Roberto
adds. He goes on to say that innovation is the
vital to the company’s longevity and success.
“We embrace technology to transform the
customer experience and the way we operate
as an insurance company,” he says. “Information technology
and connectivity are important drivers to make us more
efficient, and able to provide simpler and smarter solutions
to the market.”
Through Generali’s partnerships with venture capital,
companies and start-ups, it has launched a series of
innovative projects such as a smartphone platform and smart
home technology. “In Asia, we launched our eCare with
the aim of making insurance claims simpler and faster for
customers,” Roberto continues. “It is a comprehensive health
insurance platform that allows us to process claims anytime,
anywhere. Customers simply need to take a photo of the
medical receipt and submit it in real time through a mobile
app. It is a game changer for its ability to remove multiple
issues associated with manual claims processes.”
The eCare
platform is set to be
implemented across
five countries in Asia
where Generali
operates by 2019.
For Roberto,
profitable growth
is not the only sign
of business success.
“I value how many
people’s careers I have
helped influence, and
how many career
ambitions I have
helped shape and
develop,” he says. “What you can do with and for your
teams is key to adding value to a business. I am a strong
believer in servant leadership – that to succeed means to
empower your teams to execute the vision, to remove
obstacles when needed, and to thank them when the results
are achieved.”
The next phase for Generali in Asia is a three-pronged
strategy that involves strengthening its brand, building
credibility with all its stakeholders, and delivering on its
targets. “Asia is a major market for Generali,” Roberto says.
“We want to be the insurer of choice, not just because we
offer great value and an ecosystem of products and services,
but also because we contribute to the lives of the people
who work for the company and to the community.”Interview | INNOVATE