Stephen Murphy Interview – Irish Business Update

Applied Systems' 2026 roadmap for Ireland is focused on strengthening the long-term digital foundations of the market, including:

• Modernising core broker technology through Applied Connect's move to a browser-based Google Cloud platform
• Deepening compliance and governance through automated sanctions screening
• Accelerating productivity through AI and automation
• Expanding client self-service to meet rising customer expectations
• Unlocking greater value from data through Applied Data Cloud
• Enhancing Applied Relay to support more efficient day-to-day operations

In this Q&A interview, Stephen Murphy, Vice President of Customer Experience, gives a business update, discussing market trends, product updates, new features, and how these investments are designed to help brokers, insurers and financial advisers operate with greater agility, resilience and efficiency, while improving the experience they deliver to end customers.

Q: Applied Systems has been active in Ireland for over 40 years. How has the Irish insurance market evolved during that time, and how has Applied adapted?

A: Over the last four decades, the Irish insurance market has become significantly more professionalised and regulated, while also becoming more competitive and customer-led. We've seen consolidation across both insurers and broker firms, a steady shift away from paper-based processing to digital workflows and a big increase in customer expectations around speed, transparency and service. More recently, issues like data protection, cybersecurity and operational resilience have moved from "nice to have" to business critical.

Applied Systems has adapted by evolving alongside brokers and insurers, continually modernising core broking capabilities, supporting more standardised processes, and investing in connectivity and integration to enable firms to trade and exchange data more efficiently with insurers and third parties. As the market has moved to faster turnaround times and higher volumes, we've focused on automation, workflow and usability to help customers do more with the same teams, while maintaining strong auditability and compliance.

Q: What makes Applied Systems a trusted insurance technology partner for brokers, insurers, MGAs, and financial advisors in Ireland today?

A: Trust is earned over time, and in Ireland, it comes down to a combination of local commitment, deep market understanding and transformative delivery. We've been here for decades, supporting brokers of all sizes, and we understand the realities of running an insurance business, including tight margins, high service expectations, regulatory obligations and the need to operate efficiently.

From a day-to-day perspective, customers trust us because our platforms and teams help them get work done and provide access to the widest Personal Lines insurance panel in Ireland. We focus on being an indispensable technology partner, helping brokers, insurers, MGAs, and financial advisors modernise processes, connect more effectively with insurers and scale services without compromising control, security or compliance.

Q: How do you see technology continuing to transform the Irish insurance industry in the coming years?

A: I think we'll see three big shifts over the next few years. First, far more automation across servicing, renewals and claims, driven by better workflows, better data and the practical use of AI. This will help routine work get handled faster and more consistently, with people focusing on exceptions and on advice. Second, a continued move towards real-time connectivity through APIs, where brokers, insurers and MGAs can exchange data and integrate with third parties to provide added value. Third, a stronger focus on resilience and trust as cybersecurity, operational resilience and governance will continue to shape technology decisions just as much as functionality.

From a customer perspective, digital technology will continue to raise the bar. Customers will expect to self-serve when it suits them, get clear status updates, and move seamlessly between online and human support. That puts a premium on having a single, high-quality view of the customer and risk, plus the analytics to identify underinsurance, prevent churn and manage fraud. For brokers and financial advisors, the opportunity is to become even more advice-led, using technology to remove admin, improve responsiveness, and deepen relationships rather than just processing transactions.

Q: How is Applied Systems leveraging AI and new technology tools to think about how you work, but also the impact on your products?

A: We're leveraging AI in two connected ways: to improve how we operate internally, and to accelerate the value customers get from our products. Internally, we're using AI-enabled tools to help teams work faster and more consistently – such as improving knowledge discovery for Support, drafting and refreshing training content more efficiently, and using AI-assisted testing to catch defects earlier so releases are higher quality.

On the product side, our acquisitions of Cytora and Planck are important organisational accelerators, as they bring specialist AI capabilities into Applied Systems. These acquisitions create opportunities to reduce manual administration in core insurance workflows, such as interpreting information from submissions and supporting documents, as well as other opportunities to build more guided, data-driven experiences across platforms like Applied Riskhandler, Applied Relay and Applied Connect. The goal is practical: fewer hand-offs, less rekeying, better data quality, and faster turnaround for brokers and their customers.

Q: How is Applied Systems preparing insurers, brokers, and MGAs for future industry challenges like regulatory change, cybersecurity, and evolving customer expectations?

A: We look at challenges like regulatory change, cybersecurity and rising customer expectations as connected. The common thread is trust: customers and regulators expect firms to demonstrate control, protect data, and deliver a consistent, modern experience. Our focus is to help insurers, brokers and MGAs build that trust through technology that is secure by design, auditable, and built to adapt as requirements evolve.

Practically, that means modernising platforms and operations, such as moving Applied Connect to a browser-based platform on Google Cloud, while also adding capabilities that support governance and compliance. For example, we're developing automated sanctions screening with full audit trails, and we're investing in data access through Applied Data Cloud so firms can report more effectively and make better decisions. At the same time, we're helping customers meet new service expectations through digital self-service in the Client Portal and through automation and AI that reduce admin and speed up servicing.

Q: Looking ahead, what innovations or trends in insurance technology excite you the most?

A: The trends that excite me most are those that remove friction from everyday insurance work, so teams can spend less time on administration and more time advising customers and managing risk. The combination of practical AI, better connectivity, and better data is starting to make that real: systems can interpret information, pre-populate workflows, and guide the next best action rather than simply storing records.

In particular, I'm excited by AI that's grounded in real insurance workflows, such as document understanding and data extraction, because it can materially reduce rekeying and improve data quality from the start. I also think we'll see continued momentum behind API-led ecosystems, cloud-based platforms, and digital self-service, which together enable faster change, more reliable service, and a more consistent customer experience across every channel.