Bob Bastian is Head of Technology for Prudential Financial’s Global Retirement and Insurance businesses. He leads a global team of more than 4,000, driving technology strategy across applications, data, cloud and digital platforms. Bob aligns technology with business priorities to deliver innovative, agile and trusted retirement and insurance solutions worldwide.
Simplifying Complex Insurance Networks Globally
Embedded insurance and insurtech partnerships are not just distribution innovations but opportunities to meet customers where they are. Across the industry, they are reshaping value delivery and engagement.
To make these ecosystems seamless, CIOs must solve for interoperability, agility and trust. We act as ecosystem orchestrators, enabling scalable, secure and partner-friendly platforms that deliver simplicity.
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Interoperability: Embedded models require integration across platforms, partners and data, requiring flexible, API-driven architectures that adapt to different environments without compromising performance or security. In global ecosystems, it accounts for regional regulations, data residency requirements and diverse customer expectations.
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Agility: Market needs and regulatory landscapes shift quickly. CIOs must ensure technology stacks are modular and cloud-native so we can launch, iterate and scale solutions rapidly, without legacy constraints.
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Trust: When customers engage with insurance through non-traditional channels, the experience must be intuitive, secure and consistent. That demands robust data governance, cybersecurity and a focus on user experience.
When interoperability, agility and trust converge, complexity fades. That’s the mandate: architecting scalable ecosystems that deliver simplicity, security and speed at a global scale.
Modernizing Systems for Customer Success
We’re leading numerous initiatives delivering impact for our businesses, customers and employees. Our technology organization is aligned with business strategy, modernizing systems and optimizing digital capabilities. We have shifted from a technology provider to a strategic enabler, embedding technology into how Prudential grows, competes and serves.
When technology is designed around human needs, it drives loyalty, confidence and long-term value.
Consolidating our U.S. service and claims platforms delivered cost savings, accelerated migration and reduced overhead. The technology foundation enabled the identification of additional process reengineering savings. The modernization enabled 70 percent auto-adjudication of claims, reducing manual processing and accelerating payments. Claims turnaround dropped from 6-7 days to the same day, improving operational agility and customer satisfaction. AI automation boosted productivity by cutting post-call documentation time, driving a 16 percent gain in call efficiency.
The impact of technology is embedded in business growth. ROI is realized not only through cost savings and efficiency but also through improvements in customer experience. Net Promoter Scores and customer trust increased because we’ve made interactions faster, simpler and more reliable. When technology is designed around human needs, it drives loyalty, confidence and long-term value.
It is our talent that makes our business success possible, by keeping the customer at the heart of everything they do. Their mindset is our multiplier, turning strategy into execution and execution into impact.
Architectural Flexibility Drives Agile Insurance Innovation
Architectural flexibility is foundational. It enables companies to pivot quickly, integrate new capabilities and maintain compliance without disrupting operations. In today’s environment, where change is constant and spans regulation, customer behavior and competitive dynamics, flexibility is a strategic necessity.
At Prudential, we’re building modular, API-first, cloud-native platforms that evolve as requirements change. This flexibility enables us to reconfigure capabilities quickly, integrate with new partners and adapt to regulatory updates while maintaining seamless customer experiences. It allows us to localize solutions across geographies, ensuring regional compliance while maintaining global consistency.
As customer expectations evolve, we must move quickly and get products to market faster. A flexible architecture supports agile development, continuous integration and experimentation, helping insurers innovate without being constrained by legacy systems.
Architectural flexibility allows insurers to keep pace with change while staying focused on what matters most: building trust and delivering customer value.
Design Systems Around Customer Needs
Build for adaptability and keep the customer at the heart of everything you do. Disruption doesn’t follow a script. It demands readiness, responsiveness and relentless customer focus.
CIOs must architect systems and cultures that pivot quickly to meet evolving customer expectations. That requires modular platforms, cross-functional agility and data ecosystems that are secure, interoperable and insight-rich.
The companies that thrive will be those that can anticipate change and turn it into a competitive advantage. Flexibility isn’t a luxury—it’s the foundation for resilience and relevance, transforming disruption into a catalyst for growth.
