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Pru's New IL CIO Motivates
Alice Bueddin believes that every idea has the potential to be a great idea, and as Prudential Financial's (Newark, N.J.; $422 billion in total assets) CIO for Individual Life, she'll have more influence in making such transformations happen. Bueddin, an eight-year veteran of the carrier, took on her new role in January, following Barbara Koster's elevation to enterprise CIO.
Some of Bueddin's key responsibilities include driving technology expense management, managing computer services, data resources planning, data analysis, database design and administration, voice and data communications, and systems design and development. In order to succeed at those challenges, she says, "I am focusing on creating and maintaining an environment in which technology management and staff feel accountable, empowered, challenged, supported, rewarded and motivated." Among her priorities will be business process automation and transforming fixed costs into variable costs, while leveraging technology to support Prudential's multichannel distribution strategy, she adds.
According to Bueddin, experience has provided her with an understanding of the importance of superior customer service and relationships, and trained her to keep her eye on the ball when it comes to revenue generation, competitive positioning and both short- and long-term business objectives. "It has also taught me that you can't succeed without a highly motivated staff," she says.
Anthony O'Donnell has covered technology in the insurance industry since 2000, when he joined the editorial staff of Insurance & Technology. As an editor and reporter for I&T and the InformationWeek Financial Services of TechWeb he has written on all areas of information ... View Full Bio
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