As New Zealand’s insurance sector faces mounting pressure to modernise, technology leaders are revealing the real challenges and opportunities shaping the industry’s future. At the recent Resonate ’25 Insurance Innovation Summit in Auckland, Angela Henderson (main picture, second from left), CIO of Fidelity Life and Luke Longney (main picture, third from left), CTO of AIA, offered a candid look at their priorities and strategies, from simplifying processes to leveraging partners.
For AIA, the biggest challenge is untangling years of complexity. “Our biggest strategic priority is simplifying our business,” said Longney. “Decades of acquisitions have left us with a lot of residual complexity that slows us down.”
He explained that AIA is focused on consolidating systems and processes to deliver the experiences customers expect but this transformation is a gradual, ongoing process. Rather than waiting for a complete overhaul, AIA is making steady, incremental improvements while tackling larger structural changes in parallel.
Henderson described a similar balancing act at Fidelity Life. “We are definitely chasing growth but also focused on simplification and strengthening our core,” she said. “And we’re doubling down on regulatory compliance to clear the decks for more innovation.”
Henderson emphasised that growth initiatives - especially those involving AI and new technology - must be balanced with operational excellence and customer care. She noted that it’s not enough to pursue new business, insurers must also ensure existing customers are well-served and systems remain robust to prevent lapses and maintain trust.
When it comes to technology strategy, both leaders agreed that leveraging external partners is often more efficient than building in-house. Longney highlighted AIA’s ability to draw on global resources and adapt solutions for New Zealand’s unique market needs. Henderson was even more direct.
“My preference is buy over build,” she said. “Partners and vendors can upgrade and maintain solutions more efficiently, making it a cheaper, easier way to operate.” She stressed the importance of choosing the right partners and maintaining strong security standards, especially when integrating new technologies with legacy systems.
Both executives made it clear that digital transformation in insurance is complex and ongoing, requiring a careful balance of innovation, compliance and a customer focus. Their insights underscored the importance of continuous improvement, smart partnerships and a relentless drive to simplify in order to meet rising expectations in New Zealand’s insurance market.
Henderson and Longney were just two of the attractions at Resonate ’25. The event delivered industry insights, live technology demos and thought leadership.
There were regulatory updates from Kris Faafoi, CEO of the ICNZ and Kirk Hope, CEO of the Financial Services Council, followed by demonstrations of AI-powered platforms designed to streamline broker and insurer workflows. Attendees got an exclusive look at global insurance innovation trends with the launch of the “Beyond Boundaries” report and heard from experts on the progress and challenges of insurtech in Australasia. The day wrapped up with a keynote on customer-first design and networking over drinks.
Resonate ’25 was sponsored and presented by Simfuni. Insurance Business New Zealand was media partner
Full picture details left to right: Madison Malone (MC), Angela Henderson (Fidelity Life), Luke Longney (AIA), Naomi Garry (Sharesies), and Andy Coon (Cove Insurance)
