250 - Josh Everett and Team Discuss The Impact of India on the U.S. Annuity Market

That Annuity Show

In this episode, host Paul Tyler broadcasts from Noida, India, where he visits Zinnia's offices and speaks with their leadership team including Josh Everett (CEO of Zinnia India), Kapil Bhardwaj (Head of Global Processing), Pawan Choudhary (CTO), Rajan Agarwal (Head of Exchange Solutions), and Eti Gupta (Head of Marketing).

Key highlights:

Zinnia’s India operations manage an impressive 1.4 million calls annually and handle over 55% of North America’s variable annuity business, reflecting their critical role in the company’s global strategy. Once viewed as a back-office function, India’s operations have transformed into a Global Innovation Center (GIC), driving innovation and strategic growth. This shift leverages India’s diverse talent pool across key cities: Bangalore stands out as a hub for AI and tech innovation, Chennai excels in engineering and operational capabilities, and Delhi/NCR is renowned for its deep insurance expertise and skilled knowledge workers.

The conversation focuses on how insurance companies need to evolve, with key recommendations to:

1. Embrace transparency in operations
2. Simplify complex processes
3. Be bold in adopting new technologies
4. Stay adaptable to changing trends
5. Focus on building partnerships rather than vendor relationships

The episode provides insights into how insurance companies can leverage India's talent and technology capabilities to transform their operations and improve customer experience.