Daniel Kessler is a Client Partner at Capgemini, which operates in over 50 countries and has hundreds of thousands of employees worldwide, making it one of the largest professional services companies globally. Capgemini is known for its expertise in digital transformation, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and other innovative technologies. Daniel was interviewed by Michael Fiedel, Co-Founder at InsurTech Ohio and Co-Founder at PolicyFly, Inc.
Daniel, how’s the nature of transformation changing across the insurance industry?
“The phrase, ‘We've never gone this fast before, and we’ll never go this slow again’ has never been more relevant to the insurance industry. Given the various headwinds (or tailwinds depending on your perspective) the sector faces, defining a clear strategy on which to base a transformation has become increasingly complex. The traditional playbook for charting your course has evolved; it requires a more nuanced approach accounting for multiple factors, each bringing a heightened level of uncertainty compared to the past, including macroeconomic conditions, a shifting risk landscape, cost pressures and inflation. True transformation has always been multidimensional, but in today’s environment, defining your 'right to win' is more challenging than ever.
Lately, I realize there’s a question of pace and velocity that’s equally important to strategic direction. How fast should you go? How quickly can you move while threading the needle between achieving your objectives and minimizing risk along the way? It's about balancing the need for speed with the necessity of a careful, deliberate approach that de-risks the journey and continually fosters alignment across the organization.
This has never been an easy thing to do. We’ve all heard the statistics on how many transformation initiatives fail. Now, compound it with profitability challenges across the board, changing customer expectations, unprecedented technology innovation, new and emerging risks, etc.
One thing is for certain, building the right ‘organizational infrastructure’ is crucial if you want to stand a chance—not necessarily technology infrastructure, but cultivating a culture that can pivot and adapt, ensuring everyone is aligned and moving in the same direction with confidence.”
How do you see this perspective impacting Capgemini's ongoing strategy and approach to supporting clients?
“A hallmark of an effective consultant is the ability to anticipate what's coming—like seeing where the puck is going, as Gretzky famously put it. If you examine the investments Capgemini has made over the past several years, both organically and through acquisitions, it becomes evident that we've been preparing for a significant shift in our industry for quite some time.
We’ve strategically positioned ourselves with a comprehensive set of capabilities that align with and enable us to effectively support partners and carriers in today’s rapidly changing environment. Earlier, we talked about the 'right to win.' I firmly believe Capgemini possesses a unique combination of capabilities that no other organization offers under one roof.
As the industry has evolved—with pure strategy firms moving right and managed-service providers moving left across the value chain—we occupy a unique position. We started with a balanced approach and have successfully expanded in both directions, excelling in everything from core strategy and design to comprehensive managed-service operations. This versatility allows us to operate across the entire spectrum in ways our competition can’t.”
What drives your passion for innovation and insurance?
“There are two things. One, insurance is a noble enterprise with a rich history spanning hundreds of years. Our world wouldn't function without insurance. Few sectors play such a pivotal role in supporting and advancing society, and I’m motivated by the collaborative spirit of the insurance community. There’s a genuine sense of camaraderie and a willingness to work together for the greater good. As an industry, we seem to embrace the idea that ‘as the tide rises, all boats rise with it.’
Also, I recently attended CIO Tomorrow in Columbus and had the privilege of hearing Dr. Mark Boxer’s keynote. Dr. Boxer, a member of the Grange Insurance board, spoke about the 'massive' convergence of changes that executives and their organizations must navigate: iterative change, innovative change and disruptive change. As a hyper-competitive person, I clearly see and appreciate the challenge this presents. Bring it on.”
What milestones do you and Capgemini foresee the industry accomplishing in the next year or two?
“It feels like we are at a tipping point, and carriers need to decide what role they want to play in consumers' lives. As technology advances and the lines between sectors blur, the conditions are ripe for carriers to redefine their value propositions. Every process along the value chain now offers an opportunity for reinvention—a chance to reimagine each step from first principles. I view it as a spectrum in which carriers will need to decide where to operate: whether to continue focusing solely on risk transfer or to evolve into a resilience partner. What does that evolution look like? How might it differ between the various lines of business in which you operate?
Several factors need to be considered when contemplating this shift in value proposition. It likely involves redefining strategy, enhancing the ability to operate and orchestrate within broader ecosystems, adopting more agile technology architectures and developing the organizational flexibility to pivot quickly. This journey is one each carrier will need to undertake—this is the challenge they face.
I firmly believe that those carriers who seize this moment to innovate and adapt will shape the future of our industry, redefining not just their own role, but the very fabric of consumer trust and resilience in a rapidly evolving world.”