Inside GFT Canada’s Strategy to Digitally Transform the Insurance Industry

Leading Canada’s Insurance Tech Shift: Insights from GFT CEO André Boulanger

André Boulanger, CEO of GFT Canada, is at the forefront of insurance tech transformation. With a vision rooted in blending deep tech expertise and industry understanding, André has positioned GFT as a trusted innovation partner helping insurers modernize legacy systems, embrace AI, and enhance operational efficiency.

Where Canadian Insurers Stand with AI

Property & Casualty insurers are in early AI adoption stages, using it in:

• Software development for internal efficiency

• Internal chatbots for better access to organizational knowledge

• Claims and underwriting assistants for fraud detection and automation

Why Legacy Systems Are Holding Insurers Back

AI needs clean, connected, and current data. Legacy systems create silos, block integration, and restrict AI’s potential. Without unified data, AI solutions remain underpowered and ineffective.

Real Transformation Starts Internally

Customer-facing tools are important, but operational transformation—like automating manual processes and enhancing internal workflows—is what truly drives long-term value. Internal AI adoption builds confidence and productivity before external deployment.

GFT’s Modernization Model

GFT begins each client engagement with strategic planning and architecture design, followed by cloud migration and application modernization using top cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Guidewire. FinOps practices ensure cost control and regulatory alignment.

Misconceptions About Modernization

Many insurers think modernization is just about tech. But real change requires rethinking internal processes, team structure, and change management. GFT’s approach blends business strategy with deep tech knowledge for scalable, sustainable transformation.

The Role of Guidewire in AI Readiness

Through its Guidewire partnership, GFT enables insurers to unify data on the cloud—laying a solid foundation for effective AI use. This removes data silos and supports smarter, faster AI training and deployment.

Organizational Shifts for AI Success

Employees must be trained and reassured about AI’s role. Hands-on education dispels fear and empowers teams to use AI for automation, freeing up time for more strategic work.

Canada’s Position in the Global Landscape

Canadian insurers are “smart followers”—they’ve made major tech upgrades and are now steadily incorporating AI and automation to optimize claims, underwriting, and customer experience.