JAVLN appoints new leaders to tackle data integration issues

JAVLN has announced the appointment of three new leaders to key positions within the organisation as part of its strategy to overcome data integration challenges faced by the insurance industry. These appointments aim to fortify the company's leadership team as it builds a platform to support insurance intermediaries more effectively.

Ben Rees joins JAVLN as Head of Engineering, bringing three decades of professional software development experience. Previously with EzyVet, Rees will report to the Chief Technology Officer and lead the product engineering teams. His focus will be on ensuring delivery quality and the integration of new technologies and processes.

James Brading steps into the role of Head of Product, tasked with developing and executing JAVLN's product strategy. With a background in cloud and SaaS technologies from his time at MYOB, Brading will be reporting to the Chief Product Officer. His aim is to transform how brokers operate through innovative product solutions.

Shelley Cox has been appointed as Head of Customer Success. With her previous position as co-CEO of Montoux, she brings significant expertise in actuarial AI and modelling tools. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, Cox will focus on enhancing customer satisfaction and retention among the nearly 10,000 professionals using JAVLN's products.

"We're excited to welcome Ben, James, and Shelley to the team," said David Leach, CEO of JAVLN. "With their diverse experience and fresh perspectives, Ben and James will play a key role in driving innovation and building world-class products. Shelley's extensive industry expertise will be crucial in delivering strong outcomes for our customers. These key hires will strengthen our people leadership capabilities and bring deep SaaS experience, supporting our C-suite executives in building continued momentum."

The appointments occur as JAVLN focuses on addressing industry-wide data integration challenges. Leach noted, "Many brokers are still working on desktop systems, spending hours each day entering data into different, disconnected systems that don't work well together. Meanwhile, cloud technology is advancing rapidly, getting smarter and way more helpful."

Leach, who joined the board last year and became CEO in October, emphasised the growing importance of AI in JAVLN's strategy. He pointed out the obstacles brokers face, particularly with data and integration gaps in current industry workflows, which often require manual processes.

"While many software products offer point-to-point integrations that work well for customers, the insurance industry still has gaps in its end-to-end workflow. So as an industry, we need to keep working towards defining common standards for securely connecting systems to support future Agentic AI workflows, and more systems need to support public APIs to achieve this," Leach added.

JAVLN aims to standardise secure APIs and cloud integrations through collaboration within the industry. "While I know it can be tough to know where to start, I believe the insurance industry has a chance to work together on API standardisation and we're here to help make this happen," says Leach.

The strategic hires are part of JAVLN's commitment to building a capable team that is ready to navigate the evolving tech landscape and address integration challenges. "While technology shapes the future, it's people who truly drive change. As AI becomes more prevalent, it's a timely reminder to be more human and less robotic. Figuratively speaking, we should stand on the shoulders of robots!" Leach concluded.

JAVLN sets out to empower brokers, enhance their effectiveness, and improve the adoption of technology by bringing in talented individuals and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.