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2nd October 2016

Newslink Interview: Guidewire powers ahead across Europe
Interview

Newslink has visited Guidewire Software several times since they opened their London office 11 years ago. We have been close followers and reporters of the company’s progress globally, and dropped in recently to catch up with managing director EMEA, Keith Stonell, to discuss progress, specifically across Europe.
Stonell, four years with Guidewire, with a long experience in financial services, outlined an impressive record of Guidewire penetration-a presence in 10 European countries, handling seven major languages. European staff now number around 400, with two major development centres in Dublin and Krakow-there are staff from over 20 nationalities.
Guidewire now has over 40 European insurance clients spanning size, P&C product lines, and distribution channels. Not only are they signing new clients on a regular basis and keeping their existing ones-they are widening their range of business-focused offerings, from core processing, to areas such as digital, BI, and predictive analytics, with an emphasis on customer-centricity (the main client focus is retention), and self-sufficiency for clients. Implementation is increasingly being carried out by PartnerConnect associates-significantly, Accenture has recently signed up as an implementation partner for Continental Europe and Latin America.
The spread of client is particularly important in Europe, where leading insurers such as Allianz, Aviva, AXA, QBE and Zurich are installing across multiple countries, with some also beyond Europe in, for instance, Asia Pacific, Canada and the US-a clear indication of the global approach which lies at the heart of Guidewire’s strategy. Guidewire also has four clients in the London Market where a special messaging module has been developed.
Looking at activity in the last year, implementation and sales for existing and new clients include Basler(utilising German, French and Italian languages), NFU, Admiral(in two countries), Hiscox, LV=, PZU, P&V Group, and Zurich(now selected or installed in Switzerland, Germany, Italy, UK, Canada, Japan, and Farmers in the US). Stonell emphasized that each country is different in development terms, attitudes, channels, languages, and regulations-a significant challenge to which Guidewire have uniquely risen to successfully, having broken the mound, not only in Europe, but increasingly worldwide.

Guidewire Trends(216 articles)