Insurance boss named one of UK’s most transformational and disruptive technology leaders

Covéa Insurance Chief Technology and Information Office (CTIO), Graeme Howard, has been named 2nd in the UK 2021 CIO top 100 technology leaders ranking. The ranking features the most disruptive and transformational UK technology leaders, highlighting those businesses with leaders and teams that are using digital technologies successfully to drive business growth. 

The 2021 judges commented on the breadth and depth of progress made by the insurance company in the key areas of infrastructure and culture.  They also noted Covéa Insurance’s early decision to move over to a micro-services platform which the company developed in under two years, working with insurtechs during the pandemic to deliver the project. The new platform has repositioned the company at the leading edge of the UK’s the rapidly developing insurance eco-system, helping it to drive innovation in the UK insurance market.

Covéa’s new technology platform has seen the insurance business deliver a raft of new partnerships and product propositions with businesses including DriveScore, British Gas, Animor, By Miles and Vitality. 

The pace of the company’s progress saw Graeme Howard jump up the CIO 100 ranking by nine places, from No. 11 in 2020 to No. 2 this year. Speaking about the achievement Graeme comments:

“I’m thrilled with this ranking which reflects just how far we’ve come as a business in a relatively short period of time.  It wouldn’t have been possible without the brilliant people and the fantastic culture we have at Covéa, so I want to offer my congratulations and thanks to everyone who contributed to making it happen.  I don’t think there’s ever been a more exciting time to be working in the insurance industry thanks to rapid advances in technology which are helping us to improve the experience for customers, business partners, and employees.”

The British Insurance Award comes hot on the tails of another award win at the annual British Claims Awards last week when Covéa Insurance also won the Insurer of the Year Award.  The organisers said “Covéa Insurance was the standout winner. It demonstrated clear progress in improving the claims experience for clients during the pandemic, against a backdrop of severe reputational damage to the insurance industry. In the words of the judges, Covéa Insurance was ‘streets ahead’ of the competition.”

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About Covéa Insurance

Covea Insurance Plc is the UK underwriting business of leading French mutual insurance group Covéa, who are number 1 for property and liability insurance in France, generating over 16.6 billion Euros in premiums in 2020.   

Covéa Insurance looks after the insurance needs of over 2 million policyholders; delivering financial reassurance through its Standard & Poor’s ‘AA- stable’ rating, as a guaranteed subsidiary of Covéa. 

The company offers motor, household, protection, pet, mid and high net worth insurance and a range of commercial insurance products, through a range of distribution channels.

Employing over 1900 people, Covéa Insurance has a strong people and service ethos.  It holds ServiceMark accreditation with Distinction for its Personal Lines operation and its Commercial & HNW Claims teams, as well as Chartered Insurer status for its Commercial business.  Covéa Insurance is signatory to the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter and the insurance Inclusivity Pledge and has been named one of the top 75 employers in West Yorkshire & the Humber.

Recently, Covéa Insurance won the General Insurer of the Year award at the British Insurance Awards 2021. It was named as the Best Place to Work in Digital (Large Organisations) at the Digital Technology Leaders Awards and as the Best Employer at the Yorkshire Financial Awards.  They were also recipients of the Best Insurer title at the British Claims Awards, High Net Worth Product of the Year Award at the Insurance Times Awards, the Staff Empowerment Award at the Diversity & Inclusion in Insurance Awards.