Guidewire names Phil Joel VP of Solution Advisory APAC

Guidewire has appointed Phil Joel as Vice President of Solution Advisory for the Asia-Pacific region, based in Sydney.

Guidewire said Joel will work with the company's regional sales and post-sales teams. The company said the role will focus on solution delivery for insurance firms. It said the work will cover underwriting processes and customer outcomes.

The appointment adds a senior advisory post as insurers across the region continue to invest in core system modernisation, data platforms, and automation in underwriting and claims operations.

Guidewire sells software for property and casualty insurers. The company said more than 570 insurers in 43 countries use its products.

Career background

Guidewire said Joel brings 25 years of experience in enterprise technology transformation and core system modernisation. It said he has worked across APAC, North America, and EMEA.

Most recently, Joel served as Chief Revenue Officer at Alex Solutions, which it described as a metadata management platform software organisation. Guidewire said Joel led client acquisition and expansion into North American and European markets.

Before Alex Solutions, Joel worked at InfoCentric as General Manager. Guidewire said he established the New South Wales office. It said he led data strategy and data management projects for tier 1 clients.

Joel also spent 12 years at Oakton in roles that included Sales Manager, Location Services Manager and Director, according to Guidewire. The company said he held responsibility for go-to-market strategy for business services. It said the work spanned strategy, architecture, and project delivery services.

Guidewire said Joel also served as Managing Director and Co-Founder of mPower, which it described as a specialist Oracle services firm. It said he began his career as a Consulting Manager at Oracle.

Regional focus

Guidewire runs its APAC business alongside operations in North America and Europe. The company positions its products around core insurance functions such as policy administration, billing, and claims. It also markets digital and analytics products.

In APAC, large insurers and newer digital brands have increased spending on platforms that connect underwriting, pricing, and customer engagement. Vendors and systems integrators have competed for multi-year modernisation programmes. Many insurers also face pressure to improve risk selection and profitability as claim costs rise and regulators scrutinise pricing and product design.

Guidewire said Solution Advisory will sit alongside sales and post-sales work. The company did not disclose how many staff will report to Joel, or whether the role forms part of a broader reorganisation in the region.

Executive comments

Shaji Sethu, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of APAC at Guidewire, commented on the appointment.

"Phil Joel is widely respected as an exceptional team leader and we're excited to welcome him to Guidewire. "He has a great track record of success and we look forward to having him support the ongoing successful deployment of our product solutions with his visionary leadership and experience in scaling solutions for ongoing transformation"," said Shaji Sethu, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of APAC, Guidewire.

Joel also commented on his move to the company.

"I'm excited to join Guidewire and look forward to supporting our customers with technology that is trusted by thousands of the world's leading companies. Guidewire has a relentless dedication to innovation and is committed to leveraging technology to solve complex insurance business challenges. At the same time, the company is passionate about the power of digital transformation and I'm grateful to be a part of a company that is prioritising customer success and pioneering analytics-driven solutions for today's demanding insurance professionals," said Joel.

Guidewire said its products cover core systems and cloud services. The company also cited data and analytics, digital, and artificial intelligence as areas of investment. It said it has completed more than 1,700 projects and works with a large systems integrator partner ecosystem.

Joel will work from Sydney as Guidewire expands its advisory coverage across APAC accounts and delivery partners, the company said.