Guidewire’s ‘Connections 2017’ User Conference Draws More Than 2,000 Attendees
November 17 2017 - 8:55AM
Business Wire
25% year-over-year growth at 13th annual user
conference promoting new Core, Data, Digital, and All-in-One
enhancements to Guidewire InsurancePlatform™
Guidewire Software, Inc. (NYSE: GWRE), a provider of software
products to Property and Casualty (P&C) insurers, recently
hosted its 13th annual user conference, Connections 2017, in Las
Vegas, Nevada. Connections 2017 provided a forum for the Guidewire
community – customers, partners, and Guidewire employees – to come
together to learn, collaborate, network, and receive the latest
information about Guidewire’s products.
Chief Executive Officer Marcus Ryu opened Connections 2017 by
sharing Guidewire’s perspective on the P&C industry trends that
are leading insurers to continuously reinvent themselves, as well
as Guidewire itself, to adapt and succeed in a rapidly-changing
insurance marketplace. Following Marcus’ keynote, Guidewire’s Chief
Product Officer Ali Kheirolomoom, Product Strategy Director for
InsuranceSuite Daniele Groves, Director of Product Management Jason
McDonald, and Vice President of Business Innovation Laura Drabik
continued the theme of continual re-invention by sharing
Guidewire’s aspiration to provide an industry platform for P&C
insurance, recapping the company’s progress over the last year, and
sharing its plans for the future. On the last day of the
conference, Senior Vice President of Cyence Risk Analytics Arvind
Parthasarathi told Cyence’s story, focusing on the role of data
listening with respect to understanding and underwriting new and
emerging risks.
Four Guidewire customers presented keynotes. Kishore Ponnavolu,
Executive Vice President for P&C at MetLife and President of
MetLife Auto and Home, provided best practices and lessons learned
from the initial rollout of MetLife Auto and Home’s MyDirect
portal. Rowan Saunders, President and CEO of Economical Insurance,
outlined the company’s launch of Sonnet Insurance Company –
Canada’s first and only fully online insurance company – and the
lessons learned from overhauling its business to keep pace with
current and emerging customer expectations and deepen relations
with its independent broker force. Phil Riley, Head of Business
Customer Delivery at Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) New
Zealand described ACC’s transformation journey and how the company
was ensuring that its people, processes, technology, and
information are aligned around the changing needs of its customers.
Jim Korcykoski, SVP, Chief Technology and Information Security
Officer, Nationwide, discussed the challenges and implications of
data and analytics driving the next phase of the insurance
industry’s transformation. On the final day of Connections, Motor
Insurers’ Bureau, icare, and Union Mutual Insurance participated in
a customer panel discussion moderated by California Casualty, where
they offered their perspectives on aspects of their customer
journeys, and how they are adapting and succeeding with innovative
projects.
Over 120 hands-on workshops, expert panels, and educational
breakout sessions were held during Connections, many involving or
led by Guidewire customers. These sessions provided the opportunity
for customers such as American Modern Insurance Company, Amica
Mutual Insurance, Aviva Canada, The Co-operators, FRIDAY (Baloise
Group), Motorists Insurance Group, Nationwide Insurance, San
Cristobal Seguros, Touring Assurance, Union Mutual of Vermont,
Westfield Insurance, and Workplace Safety and Insurance Board to
share their experiences, lessons learned, and best practices.
Connections 2017 was sponsored by the following Guidewire
PartnerConnect™ Consulting and Solution partners: Athenium;
Blackcomb Consultants; Capgemini*; The CastleBay Companies; CGI;
Cognizant; Cynosure; Deloitte; Enterprise Rent-A-Car; EY*; HCL;
Hubio; IBM; ISO; ITS – Insurance Technology Services; IVANS
Insurance Solutions; LexisNexis Risk Solutions; Loss Control 360;
Mitchell; Octo Telematics, OnBase by Hyland*; PwC*; Quadient;
Salesforce; Smart Communications; Sollers; Vertafore; and V-NEO –
who were on hand to discuss their services/solutions with
attendees. Platinum sponsors (indicated by *) participated with
customers in presentations, and other sponsors moderated roundtable
discussions.
Connections 2017 saw Guidewire honor the winners of its customer
Innovation Awards program for the 11th consecutive year, and
individuals from customer project teams were recognized with the
second annual ‘Hero’ award.
“We congratulate this year’s Innovation Award winners, and
individual project heroes for their extraordinary work above and
beyond the call of duty,” said Brian Desmond, Chief Marketing
Officer, Guidewire Software.
Desmond concluded, “Every year we are awed and inspired by the
stories our customers share about how they are using Guidewire
InsurancePlatform™ to increase speed to market, improve engagement
with policyholders and agents and lower operating costs in a
rapidly changing marketplace. We thank our customers and partners
for helping to make Connections such an enjoyable and useful
experience again.”
About Guidewire Software
Guidewire delivers the software that Property and Casualty
(P&C) insurers need to adapt and succeed in a time of rapid
industry change. We combine three elements – core operations, data
and analytics, and digital engagement – into a technology platform
that enhances insurers’ ability to engage and empower their
customers and employees. More than 300 P&C insurers around the
world have selected Guidewire. For more information, please visit
www.guidewire.com. Follow us on twitter: @Guidewire_PandC.
NOTE: Guidewire, Guidewire Software, Guidewire ClaimCenter,
Guidewire PolicyCenter, and Guidewire BillingCenter are registered
trademarks of Guidewire Software, Inc. in the United States and/or
other countries.
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Guidewire Software, Inc.Diana Stott, +1-650-356-4941Director,
Communicationsdstott@guidewire.com
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