Holistic digital transformation: How to master the change

Article in partnership with Swiss Re, co-author Pravina Ladva Swiss Re Group Chief Digital & Technology Officer.

There’s a very good reason why people at the center of driving digital transformation favour the idea of a “holistic” approach — a term which is often used in the medical space. Pravina Ladva and Antonio Grasso discuss why a holistic approach to digitalisation in legacy industries such as insurance is the best way to achieve the necessary breakdown of silos to develop adaptable, future proof-solutions. And of course, as with holistic medicine, this approach forces you to leave the beaten track.

In medicine, the term “holistic” encompasses the idea that our bodies are interconnected systems and can be explained only by looking at the whole, rather than its individual parts. Similarly, taking a holistic approach to digital transformation in the insurance industry makes a lot of sense, given that simply tackling isolated challenges may prevent us from making the most of new technology. What seems a bit like a fad could be a useful approach to harnessing new technologies.

Pravina Ladva’s view

If I go to the doctor because of a backache, I get a bit suspicious if the doctor merely prescribes medication, before asking about factors that may be contributing to the pain, such as lifestyle or daily routines. Even though taking medication requires less effort, the back is a complex system of interconnected bones, muscles, and nerves…