Generali Group Magazine since 1893 Number 6 – Series 13 – March 2017

CONNECTIVITY connectivity CONNECTIVITY

Everything is shrouded in a cloud of data and we can be anywhere, anytime. The Internet has upended our lifestyle and our interactions with others, connecting us in real time with remote contexts and faraway cultures. We have torn down physical barriers and obtained access to products and services everywhere, and we have built virtual communities with people we have never met. As individuals, employees and consumers, we have gained access to extraordinary opportunities. All this is possible thanks to the ease and immediacy that enable us to share information. Perhaps now we are just beginning to recognize the huge changes that have happened since the invention of the Internet over 25 years ago. Are we sure we can anticipate where connectivity will lead us to in the near future? —ak.

OPENING REMARKS OPENING REMARKS Connectivity

99% of interesting things have“ not yet been invented”

by Simone Bemporad —Sebastian Thrun Editor in Chief

Connectivity has caught us up in rise of China and India, once among But in the world of complex Some Luddites consider connectivity a revolution that has reshaped the world’s poorest nations. connection systems technology and digitalisation as threats to job everything about how we live, love, is constantly evolving as this special creation. That is not really true. work, play, shop and share – how our There are many countries that are in the issue of il bollettino will show. Value creation doesn’t come from very hearts and minds encounter the course of transforming from a wholly Devoted to the various aspects of routine tasks or monotonous repetition world around us. Interconnected industrial society to an information one. connectivity, its articles - written by that can be automated, but rather from digitalisation, automation and artificial That transformation will likely occupy experts in business and technology - creative problem solving. intelligence are creating opportunities us for decades to come. Consider how it will take us through the rapidly This is certainly true for the insurance that were the stuff of yesterday’s started. Short messages, status updates, approaching future where our offices world both for basic services as well science fiction and decisively shape news alerts, or links to longer and workspaces have adapted and as complex problems. our lives and our work. To what degree documents have formed the basis changed, where there are no limitations and how rapidly remains to be seen. of real-time connectivity for the past of physical space, where anywhere Looking to the future we think of the decade. Now, virtual communities are in the world is just a link away. words of Sebastian Thrun, considered New technologies are permanently being built on common interests within one of the technology pioneers of our changing the way we do business. companies, within scientific and We shall examine cloud computing time. He says “Ninety-nine percent Connectivity is transforming the academic communities, within group and the industrial internet of things, of interesting things have not yet been economy sector by sector. It is one movements – each of them using explore the effects of digital invented.” On that basis Connectivity of the main reasons why prosperity completely new interaction modes. transformation and artificial has a rosy future indeed. continues to grow, and not just in the Today, we take for granted the fact intelligence, look at the range of new old industrialised nations that are that we can connect with any person, access tools and the types of interior changing to information societies. company, service or information office design that are helping us to It has also enabled the tremendous database, no matter where we are. work better together.

02 03 INDEX INDEX

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4

Community First We, Generali Business & Strategy Twist

08 CONTEMPORARY SCENARIOS 26 OVERVIEW 42 INTERVIEW 60 CONTEMPORARY SCENARIOS Beyond the fridge Smart machines are better New Ways of Working The workspace is not Microsoft partnership — Interview with Carlo Can the Internet become truly global? than humans at capturing data that can enable facing extinction, but is turning into a place to meet Purassanta The technology that is reshaping our The Internet is never quite connected, never quite companies to spot inefficiencies and problems people, share experience and knowledge, work in world has the potential to change everything: people, big enough for what we need. Is it that we can’t grow sooner, saving time and money. Which industries a team, be inspired / by Ruggero Forni products, processes, businesses, and communities. fast enough? Absolutely not. There are those who, Microsoft is committed to helping every person and achieved that first? / by Werner Vogels despite knowing the possibilities of connectivity, organization to achieve more / by Alberto Branchesi choose consciously to keep themselves away & Chiara Ronchetti / by the Editorial Office 34 VIEWPOINTS 14 VIEWPOINTS The connectivity revolution and connected 54 SPOTLIGHT 66 STORIES How the network changed our working insurance Generali is ready to catch the trend Success stories In its journey toward becoming A century of connections in historic culture The best approach to digital towards connected insurance and thereby transform Simpler, Smarter and Faster, Generali has focused cafes Connectivity and coffee-houses have been transformation is communicating its significance the insurance industry. Switching from a reactive on the changing needs and behavior of closely allied since the earliest times. From the and making it meaningful through role models to proactive player, the Group can disrupt how connected society and has developed smart great coffee-houses of London came Insurance that tell and personify its benefits / by Laurence insurance is done / by Valter Trevisani new tools that are in tune with the lifestyle of brokerage, the London Stock Exchange, Sotheby’s Bret-Stern its digitally savvy customers / by Francesco Orsi and Christies auction houses. From Paris came the meeting place for the great names of the Enlightenment / by Diego D’Amelio 38 LEGAL BACKGROUND 20 VIEWPOINTS The challenging opportunities of the connected The next frontier for smartphones insurance world The greater the growth of data This year, ten billion mobile internet devices will be volume, the greater the challenges facing insurance in use globally. More than 60 percent of these will companies. Thus good data management be smartphones. Today, smartphones are not just is paramount, not only for market differentiation, an access to connectivity, they constantly learn but also to avoid the substantial risks from our choices adding value to our experience / by Furio Curri & Giangiacomo Olivi / by Alberto Dalmasso

04 05 PART 1 Community First BRIEF SUMMARY Community First BRIEF SUMMARY Community First

Within Connectivity, cloud Also below, Laurence Bret-Stern computing, the Internet of Things of LinkedIn explains that the best and smartphones have increasingly approach to digital transformation important roles to play – as does is communicating its significance digital transformation i.e. the art and making it meaningful through of getting all those things to work role models that tell and personify together efficiently. its benefits. How will digital transformation help employees? Cloud computing enables companies What metrics will measure success? to store, manage and process data online remotely as opposed to on their This year, ten billion mobile internet own physical computer or network, devices will be in use globally. saving on large installation costs and More than 60 percent of these will software licenses. Many companies be smartphones. According to Alberto are combining cloud computing with Dalmasso of Satispay, smartphones the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) are not just an access to connectivity, to reap extra rewards. Smart machines they constantly learn from our choices are better than humans at capturing organizing an exact copy of our lives data that can enable companies to spot and adding value to our digital inefficiencies and problems sooner experience. His article below saving time and money. explains how.

The Internet of Things has moved beyond household controls and into industry itself, according to Dr.Werner Vogels, the Chief Technology Officer at Amazon.com, in the article below. Thanks to the infinite amount of storage in the Cloud combined with unlimited bandwidth, Gas and Oil, street lighting, automobile manufacture and the factory floor are all benefiting from optimized production, minimized waste and new ways of doing business. by the Editorial Office 06C 07 PART 1 Community First CONTEMPORARY SCENARIOS Beyond the Fridge CONTEMPORARY SCENARIOS

PREFACE Connectivity reaches its peak when data sets, sensors and recording Beyond the Fridge devices are able to exchange information and establish a dialogue. What prospects are emerging for the Industrial Internet of Things and in which areas is it already being used?

by Werner Vogels Amazon Web Services The IIoT of now

We have moved beyond the fridge. Many of the changes brought about by In the 1990s when the idea of an Internet the IIoT have been subtle, but there are of Things (IoT) was first tabled we were many examples we can point to where this promised that by the turn of the 21st century technology trend is changing the world we would all have fridges connected to the around us. Phillips CityTouch is one such internet in our homes. These would be able example. CityTouch is an intelligent light to tell when we needed more milk, eggs management system for citywide street or cheese and would automatically order lighting. It allows entire suburbs and cities them from the store for us. Despite this to actively control their streetlights in real promise, we are yet to see our fridges do time. This allows local councils to keep the shopping. What we have seen instead certain streets well lit, to accommodate high is that the IoT is happening in a completely foot traffic, bring on lighting during adverse different place. We are now more likely weather, when ambient light dims to a to see the IoT associated with the machine dangerous level, or even turn lighting down, that manufactures our fridge, rather than for example in an industrial estate, where the fridge itself, with a new trend that is there are no people. They are also able to being called the Industrial Internet of Things change the colour of lights, which can help (IIoT). direct foot and automobile traffic across The ubiquitous availability of bandwidth a city, for example allowing people to follow and having computational capacity and near the green lights so they can safely get from infinite amounts of storage, at our fingertips the football stadium to the train station. through the cloud has been key to driving We are seeing this technology in cities this new trend in technology. In the past across Europe and the reason this has been year, we have started to get a glimpse of possible is because CityTouch is using just what is possible. This has come through the cloud as the backend technology to the pursuit of things such as a more efficient run the system and extract business value gas turbine, the need for real-time fleet from large amounts of data collected from maintenance of trucks and the quest for sensors installed in the lights. The rise of oil and gas. The IIoT is even more exciting the IIoT would not be possible without the than the connected fridge. Unlike the cloud. When you think that, the UK has over connected fridge, the IIoT is already 5.6 million streetlights alone, if each of these changing how we design and interact were to produce even a small amount with machinery and is starting to have of data each per day it means a vast a transformative impact on how we live. amount of information to process, store and manage. The cloud is able to keep up with this rapid growth and help to create

CC BY-SA 2.0 / JAMES ROYAL CC BY-SA new business models. When a street lamp is

08 09 PART 1 Community First CONTEMPORARY SCENARIOS Beyond the Fridge CONTEMPORARY SCENARIOS

Estimated Number of Installed from the sensors in their wells, combined if by improving productivity by just 1%, The Internet IoT Devices by Sector with increased compute power courtesy of because of the sheer scale of GE’s of Things (IoT) the cloud, Shell is able to change how they products, the company could drive operate as an organisation. By collecting hundreds of billions of dollars in savings. Home Government/ Enterprise these rich data sets, invasive drilling now The IIoT is also changing manufacturing The Internet of Things is a possible Infrastructure becomes a last option. This means their as we know it by delivering real-time evolution of the way we use the Internet: objects acquire an active researchers and engineers can spend more conditions on the factory floor making role thanks to connectivity. 76% The purpose of the Internet of 72% time on looking for the right oil fields and it possible to not only optimise production Werner Vogels Things is to enable the cyber world less time on drilling for resources that may and eliminate waste but uncover new to draw a map of the real world 20 not be there, helping them to save costs and business opportunities. Tata Motors, one by creating an electronic identity Dr. Werner Vogels is minimise their impact on the environment. of the largest manufacturers of commercial for actual objects and places. The Chief Technology Officer opportunities are manifold: from 56% Another sector where we are seeing vehicles is a case in point. Tata Motors is industrial applications, including at Amazon.com where Billions Devices he is responsible for 15 the rise of IIoT, closely linked to Oil and putting sensors into its trucks and has built production processes, to logistics, infomobility, energy efficiency, driving the company’s 43% Gas, is the utility sector. The best example a service model, which is allowing owners technology vision, remote assistance and environmental

Total Device Growth YOY Device Growth Total 40% of this is the work General Electric (GE) of large fleets of trucks gain better insights which is to continuously protection. enhance the innovation 10 is doing. GE is one of the world’s largest into how the vehicles are running, how on behalf of Amazon’s 33% manufacturers of turbines and is responsible they are being used and to predict and customers at a global scale. for generating 30% of the world’s electricity. prevent potential breakdowns. The sensors 5 The company is taking advantage of IIoT in the trucks can be used to monitor Prior to joining Amazon, to reinvent itself, and in the process, the driver behavior, which can then be used he worked as a researcher at Cornell economics of the industry. The company by insurance companies to help set better University where he was 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 is using hundreds of sensors and advanced premiums thus bringing new ways of a principal investigator analytics to make their fleet of gas turbines doing business not only to the automotive in several research projects that targeted Time Source: BI Intelligence Estimates run more efficiently. They estimate that business but also the insurance sector. Source: wikipedia.com the scalability and robustness of mission- critical enterprise computing systems. He has held the positions of Research Engineer, VP of Technology and CTO in companies that not only a source of light but also This year’s International handle the transition of a thermometer, barometer and traffic Consumer Electronics academic technology Show (CES) in Las into industry. Shell has over ten thousand sensor the possibilities for how this Vegas showcased network of connected devices can be a new smart fridge Vogels holds a oil wells. Managing this that integrates Alexa, used to enhance city life greatly increases. Ph.D. from the Amazon’s voice service. Vrije Universiteit in amount of data would be Another sector taking advantage By talking to the Amsterdam and has unthinkable without IIoT of the cloud to drive IIoT is the oil and fridge, it’s possible to authored many articles interact with any other for journals and gas industry. Companies are using IIoT connected device that conferences, most of strategies to manage and gather data from is compatible with the them on distributed operations in remote, often dangerous platform. As a result, systems technologies the fridge can update for enterprise environments to make better decisions us on the weather, turn computing. on where to prospect for resources. An on the lights and even shop on Amazon using example of this is Shell, which is using the the Dash service, all at data from sensors in their wells to increase the prompt of a simple oil and gas output. Each sensor generates voice command. about a petabyte of data and Shell is estimated to have over ten thousand oil wells. Managing and analysing this amount of data as little as a few years ago would have been unthinkable, even for an industry used to dealing with large data sets such as the oil and gas industry.

Now with the constant flow of intelligence GETTY IMAGES / BLOOMBERG

10 11 PART 1 Community First CONTEMPORARY SCENARIOS Beyond the Fridge CONTEMPORARY SCENARIOS

The IIoT of tomorrow Let’s wear Where’s grandma? Listen to your home! a personal trainer These examples are just a glimpse of the potential of IIoT. With the computational power of the cloud behind a network of sensors, we are only in the very early stages of what is possible. As we move into the future, we will begin to see new kinds of sensors, with new kinds of workloads, creating a richer IIoT, backed by the cloud. A new trend we are beginning to see is video cameras being used as a sensor for IIoT workloads. A video camera is no longer just a simple recording device, but a complex sensor that can monitor a vast number of data points at once. In a vehicle this could be a video camera pointed at the wheel taking in data on the wear of the tyres, brake This special t-shirt can devise a customized We can monitor our family’s daily whereabouts and A device will immediately alert us to the slightest pads and disc rotors while at the same time training program based on our fitness level and our record their routines. This will allow us to recognize home emergency. Water leaks, smoke, burglars... objectives! It can monitor our heartbeat, respiratory unusual situations and we will immediately receive wherever we are, we will receive a message that will monitoring the wheel alignment, suspension rate and pace during training. alerts if necessary. For example, if grandma enable us to act immediately to avert disaster! and handling of the car. In the traditional IIoT suddenly leaves home at an unusual time, or if she doesn’t come back home in the evening, we will model this would require a sensor on each receive an alert on our cellphone. of these components but with the video camera as the sensor, connected to the cloud, all of this information could be ingested and analysed in near real time to help with the ride of the car or to help with preventative maintenance. The fork will take care of it Under pressure Smart... bike! We have just seen the tip of the iceberg. Many spectacular innovations in IIoT are yet to be realised and the results of all of this will spill over and impact consumers’ day-to-day lives in ways we can’t imagine, changing our kitchens, cars and homes. Does this mean we will never have connected fridges? I don’t think so, it’s already there, but what we have seen is that the true explosion in IoT applications has taken a different path than the one we expected and is not just about automatically reordering our milk when it runs out. The IIoT will change how we design machinery and the systems built on them, from manufacturing plants to airports. As such, we will have a more intimate There is a widespread trend toward improving A cuff around the arm constantly checks our blood An app to guide us when we cycle. We only need to understanding of these systems to be able our eating habits. The smart fork can coach us pressure and sends the results to our mobile phone connect our smart bike to the mobile phone via an by keeping track of our eating speed. It uses in real time. A chart of the various measurements app, put the phone in our pocket and start pedaling! to achieve higher reliability and efficiency. vibration or a light display to let us know whether is instantly available on our smartphone. Tiny lights installed on the handlebar will indicate These changes will certainly affect how we are eating correctly and sends the results of our So convenient for those who need constant the best itinerary based the chosen route and traffic. progress directly to our computer. monitoring. It goes without saying that we will also get a report we live and interact with our environment. on our daily physical activity.

by the Editorial Office

12 13 PART 1 Community First VIEWPOINTS How the network changed our working culture VIEWPOINTS

How the network A leader’s job is not to put greatness“ into people, changed our but rather to recognize that working culture it already exists, and to create the enviroment where that greatness can emerge and grow”

—Reid Hoffman

by Laurence Bret–Stern PREFACE LinkedIn is the social network created to today we are dealing with cloud services, This means the customer journey sharing economy, gig economy, blockchain must be the backbone of any digital connect the business world. Since its inception and artificial intelligence. organization. Traditional players are by nature more Even if business leaders are not paying in 2003, it has revolutionized the job market vulnerable as their operating models can attention to the outside world, their own by making available and accessible for free the be threatened by digital technology across employees will eventually catch them up. the value chain by startups that are not According to a recent survey, 36% profiles of professional people around the world. tied up by the same regulatory or legacy of employees said they would leave their constraints. But upstarts can also create current company if offered a job at a more new categories from scratch. For example, digitally progressive organization, while LinkedIn disrupted the talent industry 44% of people don’t see their company by offering a free alternative to the most driving digital transformation fast enough. valuable asset of job boards and staffing Talents want to work in a versatile agencies: their profile database. And what organization that offers free access do those successful disrupters have in to digital tools. This is a key condition common? They have a firm grasp on how for 81% of employees. They also want customers behave and what consumers an accelerated and diverse career path: Do you know how many people are And beyond my own organization, I also want, because today it’s consumers millennials change roles every two searching ‘digital transformation’ online witnessed how social media transformed who hold the power. These empowered or three years and don’t want a linear at this very moment, and how many businesses, which has given me a unique LinkedIn disrupted the consumers rely on booming mobile and position. Their vision of hierarchy is one results are returned? There are up to vantage point. talent industry by offering multi-device usage, they have shorter based on expertise and collaboration, 100,000 searches and over 8 million results: Digital transformation doesn’t come attention spans and limited trust, where employees can speak freely this is what you call a trending topic. from the top; it comes to the top. Change a free alternative to they prefer instant purchases and and have direct access to leadership. That everyone has heard it is great, no longer stems from the brilliance of the most valuable asset pay-as-you-go options, but also check Organizations must be able to adapt but the truth is, no one is really sure what a few team members in the boardroom, of job boards and staffing out comparators and recommendations to this new concept and offer a versatile it is. It’s no wonder we think everyone else but from how well a company can listen before making a decision. environment. Even if transformation doesn’t is doing it, but nobody has a clue on how to the bottom half of the equation. In a way, agencies: their profile A survey by strategic consultancy come from the top, it needs to be led from to do it. I joined LinkedIn six years ago when enterprise strategy has been flipped around. database Altimeter Group has revealed that 55% the top, starting from the chief executive, we were 800 employees worldwide. Digital transformation comes from the of those responsible for digital transformation and each member of the leadership team We are now over 10,000, so it has been a surrounding environment, from competitors. cite ‘evolving customer behaviors and must be involved. Research by a number transformational journey for me. The level of disruption is unprecedented: preferences’ as their primary catalyst. of leading social science thinkers has

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shown that when managers and employees reinforces the story at our company. of new products. We also give employees or partnering with startups. A business are asked what motivates them the most He fosters a culture that encourages debate a voice through surveys to measure the level leader recently said that acquisitions are Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn’s chief in their work, they are equally split among about transformation and prompts people of cross-team collaboration. the new form of research and development. executive, is a great role five issues: impact on society, such as to infuse it with their own personal meaning. Still, it’s unrealistic to think that a plan Internal and external disruptions force building the community and stewarding You also need ambassadors who will have zero hitches or failures. Aspiring organizations to transform and this model example. He clearly resources; impact on the customer - for relay the story, support and practice the or waiting for that ‘perfect’ time will only transformation must be an agile articulates our vision and example, providing superior service; impact new types of behavior. They need to result in lost time and, ultimately, lost and result-driven process, led from on the company and its shareholders; be empowered to drive change and be business. Instead, business leaders should the top, based on a compelling story mission and reinforces Laurence impact on the working team, i.e. creating rewarded. That’s why every year we appoint be comfortable expecting mistakes and and inspirational leaders. Bret–Stern the story at our company. a caring environment; personal impact such an employee to become the global leader failures along the way and learn how to react And if there are people who still think He fosters a culture that as career development, paycheck of one of our culture pillars. But great to mishaps. That’s the way to develop more digital transformation hasn’t touched their encourages debate about and bonus. intentions are not enough. appropriate means to move forward. business, I’m willing to bet that soon they ‘My journey at LinkedIn People will go to extraordinary lengths You cannot manage what you don’t As we say in the Silicon Valley, failing is will no longer have one. started at the end of transformation and prompts 2010 with a double for causes they believe in, which means measure. Employees need to understand good, as long as you fail fast. The array mandate: launch France people to infuse it with their a powerful transformation story will create company goals and how a digital of digital tools available today – cloud and build the Marketing team for EMEA. and reinforce their commitment. transformation will help achieve them. They computing, software as a service, predictive personal meaning The best approach for a successful need solid metrics for measuring success. data – may seem overwhelming at first, but I inaugurated the Paris transformation is communicating its At LinkedIn we use conversion rates and the great news is that organizations have office in March 2011, just after LinkedIn hit significance and making it meaningful. sales velocity – the time it takes for a new never had access to so many tools to enable the 2 million member You also need role models to tell and lead to become a closed deal - to measure their digital transformation and optimize mark in France. personify that story. the impact of automating the stages their operations. These tools are not only Two years later, we had quadrupled our Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn’s chief executive, customers take to make a buying decision. incredibly effective, but also affordable. French member base is a great role model example. He clearly We measure the impact of customer Traditional business can also choose and acquired 80% of CAC 40 as Corporate articulates our vision and mission and engagement programs and the contribution to incubate innovation by purchasing customers. It was time for me to relocate to London and focus on scaling the regional Marketing engine.

I now head up a team of 25 marketers across Waves of digital disruption 11 countries and support LinkedIn largest business across EMEA Source: Digital disruption is globally available The fourth wave and LATAM. http://www.digitaltransformationbook.com/ increasing and speeding was no guarantee for (mobile) is accelerating up the amount of success. Most new everything even more. We are “whole brain” change we have to deal initiatives never made It reduces the time marketers ; the ones with. The explanation a blip on the global between impulse and who can understand for this can be found radar and died once the response from hours Digital Connected (Internet) Social Mobile go to market strategy in the four waves of ventures ran out or even days to minutes and the brand as well emancipation: of money. or seconds. Wave 1 Wave 2 Wave 3 Wave 4 as run data-driven The moment something Emancipation Emancipation Emancipation Emancipation demand generation The first wave of The third wave (social good (or bad) happens, of production of physical of distribution of time/ space and customer lifecycle emancipation (the media) changed it starts spreading exclusivity boundaries and gatekeeping restrictions programs. Our KPIs rise of digital) made it the ownership of around the world include Marketing much easier to create the distribution of instantly. Qualified Leads, and produce (mainly headlines and opinions. Marketing Sourced digital) products and/or Suddenly we could all Revenue, Target services. become gatekeepers of Account Interest Score, interesting stuff. Social Upsell influence, Brand The second wave media distribution tracker and NPS.’ (the Internet) led to of new ideas and the disappearance of start-ups paved the physical borders and way for a whole new timezones, enabling the generation of mean- potential for any smart and-lean companies solution to become a that found international worldwide success. Yet, recognition, distribution as many experienced or even funding. Source: during the first decade http://www.digitaltrans of the Internet, being formationbook.com

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2017: LinkedIn expands LinkedIn today the ‘Welcome Talent’ growth year over year 1 program, which helps refugees find job opportunities through its platform, to the United States 19% 101%

‘LinkedIn is engaged in creating job opportunities for all the members of the global workforce, irrespective of geographical origin or religion.’ The latest Left: 19 percent growth year over year 101 percent growth year over year step is the expansion to the United States Reid Hoffman, to more than 433 million members to more than 7 million active job Executive Chairman, of the ‘Welcome Talent’ program, which the founder of LinkedIn worldwide listings company tested in Sweden in 2016, helping and venture capitalist. around 2,000 refugees find work in the Today he is part country that had become their new home. of Silicon Valley’s On one hand, the program connected the billionaire club. Investor, entrepreneur and refugees with internship opportunities The world’s largest thinker, in one of his in Sweden, while on the other it encouraged books, the Start-Up of 49—60% 9% employers to publish opportunities for professional network You, Hoffman explains from his vantage point refugees on the LinkedIn site. In total, of view as the founder 50 companies were involved. of LinkedIn: ‘Everyone in a connected society After the successful trial in Canada, Today LinkedIn counts 467 million members M.A. from Oxford University, also founded should think the program has now arrived in the in 200 countries. Founded in 2003, it’s the and developed PayPal and Flickr. of themselves as United States, where the company will oldest social network: it was born a year On the Forbes 2016 list of the world’s a start-up business. 49 percent growth year over year 9 percent growth year over year Even though only provide funding and training to support before Facebook and three before Twitter. billionaires, Hoffman was ranked 722 a few actually do it.’ to 60 percent mobile usage to more than 105 million unique the 30 offices of the International Rescue Acquired last year by Microsoft for $26.2 with a net worth of $2.4 billion. visiting members per month Committee (IRC), a non-governmental billion, it’s a platform that helps its members organization, across the country. find work and enhance their career based The objective is to help skilled refugees find on the idea that our professional network is job opportunities faster because ‘LinkedIn much wider than we think. Its founder, Reid Source: is a stronger and better company thanks Hoffman, 49, a cognitive science graduate 1 news.microsoft.com to the diversity of our workforce.’ of Stanford University with a philosophy 2 timeline: ourstory.linkedin.com

2003 2 2005 2009 2013 2016

Launched Revenue New 225 million Microsoft LinkedIn Leadership members acquires LinkedIn

by Reid Hoffman, – Introduced first – Jeff Weiner joined of LinkedIn, for $196 per share attracted business lines: LinkedIn as growing at 2 in an all-cash investment from job search and president and CEO members per transaction valued Sequoia capital subscription second at $26.2 billion

18 19 PART 1 Community First VIEWPOINTS The next frontier for smartphones VIEWPOINTS The next frontier for smartphones

PREFACE Smartphones have changed our use of time, money and leisure. reality, in which all the world’s largest innovation combined with another current tech players are investing. Visors that trend: modularity (different smartphone Augmented reality and voice interaction are the next stages. The third phase in the complement smartphones have already components that can be independently evolution of mobile started to find a way into our homes, but upgraded or replaced in a modular design, their adoption is not widespread because Ed.). It could significantly accelerate the technology is the one that the experience is limited to gaming. There ‘dematerialization’ of current smartphones is just about to start are high expectations for flexible screens, and also define a new, integrated an innovation that has been much talked relationship between smartphones and about but has not yet found a reliable and the Internet of Things. All this could be functional application. Still, the time is ripe combined with the next phase in voice for a large-scale introduction of this type of interaction that in the near future could

by Alberto Dalmasso The power of mobile technology as it was almost immediately called, has Which direction will changed the way people organize their the third phase of smartphone evolution After the large-scale arrival of smartphones time and has shaken up several industrial take? Some suggest on the market, mobile technology has been sectors, which have seen a split between it will be ‘Augmented Reality,’ the technology through several development stages. ‘legacy operators’ and ‘new players.’ that allows the The first phase was disruptive. It placed For example, the sharing economy wouldn’t interaction between in our hands the simplicity of touchscreen have happened without any apps to support surroundings and virtual elements. technology for instant access to a world it. During this stage, the hardware – while of new applications, combined with the still important – became less disruptive after A proof of its potential revolution of unlimited Internet access away the arrival of photo and video capabilities, is in the incredible spread of the game AR from home. the Retina display and LTE technology. (Augmented Reality) It was a phase marked by the dominance It saw instead a constant evolution of Pokemon Go which ranked as the most of a technology leader that dictated the its various functionalities through small downloaded app until rules of hardware design, which the majority incremental improvements. the end of 2016, in the of manufacturers eventually adopted. The third phase in the evolution of US APP Store. The game has recently returned It also saw consumers around the world mobile technology is the one that is just to the top thanks to the step up the replacement of their smartphone about to start. We already have a few release of an update in a bid to remain up to date with the latest elements we think will form the basis of the and a new live event promotion. innovations. next smartphone revolution, but it’s not yet The second phase focused on the clear what ‘killer apps’ will link them up. evolution of the operating systems and Among the elements we are getting to on the world of apps they generated. know – and which have emerged as the

The steady growth of the app economy, ‘new wave’ in the last year – is augmented SHUTTERSTOCK / WACHIWIT

20 21 PART 1 Community First VIEWPOINTS The next frontier for smartphones VIEWPOINTS

How does Satispay work? Just think: when you need to collect money, or buy a pre-

On a practical level, Businesses will need a sent, or split the bill after a we have developed a smartphone, tablet or meal with friends, technology proprietary technology personal computer to platform directly linked download the Satispay will connect consumers and to the interbank network, Business app and start Alberto creating a system that accepting payments. retailers across a whole range Dalmasso is independent of banks and operators. The In addition, Satispay can transactions platform is currently be scaled up to integrate 32 years old. B.A. in available in Italy, but it into any point-of-sale economics. CEO of has been designed to system and all major Satispay S.p.A. Six work across Europe cash-register software years’ professional because it relies on SEPA systems, offering experience, with a transactions. solutions suitable for background in import- large retailers. export (including six The service is free for be our first interface via smartphone (but not you have run out of cash. Satispay is the retailers is changing. Retailers have started months in the U.S. individual customers, the only one) with artificial intelligence, and mobile payment app that helps people share to understand that payment solutions and Australia) followed while businesses are not by three years in charged subscription vice versa. money with family and friends as well as pay are technology providers able to handle marketing and business fees or any costs for Artificial intelligence is so called because for their purchases. complex transactions, improving sales development at Ersel, payments below €10. it is able to learn. From whom? From The idea, born in 2012, aimed to address and profitability. At the same time, a private banking and Purchases above that asset management threshold attract a fixed millions of people who send and exchange two issues. The first is a question: why European regulators are promoting the group. Among the commission of €0.20. billions of data every second. What teachers do smartphones allow us to do anything, adoption of electronic payments over cash. authors of Financial Users need to download Consulting, published the app, which is could more powerful, immediate, ubiquitous but not a simple operation like paying? All these elements are pushing toward a by IlSole24Ore on behalf available for all operating and personal than our smartphones? The second is an observation: our lifestyle radical transformation of the sector, whose of AIPB. systems (Android, Irrespective of the shape they will take, and the trend toward sharing – from rent value keeps on growing. iOs and WP), on their Passionate about smartphone and sign up they will continue to remain central in the to the five-a-side soccer field – make it Today the company employs a team design and innovation, for the service. evolution of our lifestyle. necessary to frequently share money with of around 45 people who have an ambitious he left Ersel in January 2013 to focus on The challenge that awaits app friends and acquaintances. objective: creating a real cultural shift in Satispay full time. developers will involve adopting flexible We wanted to change a reality that didn’t people’s daily payment habits by promoting and widespread interfaces for the design match the potential of the technological Satispay as the go-to app for daily of new apps while at the same time keeping advances of the smartphones we held expenses, like sharing money with friends the current high level of innovation. in our hands everyday. So we began an and relatives, or buying coffee. The world of apps continues to bring in-depth study of the sector and of the Our new objective for 2017, inspired surprises and changes that were unimaginable European directive on payments, a real by specific requests from merchants, until recently. One of the last few issues of opportunity that opened up the market to aims to further meet real-life needs. Nature, for example, featured an app that can new technology-oriented players which Several retailers expect a safe, agile and screen the skin for possible tumors. Tracking didn’t necessarily operate in the financial quick system that can support payment body functions and wellness represents an sector. plans. interesting, unlimited promise. Since the beginning, businesses realized At December 2016 we had over that using Satispay could open a direct, 10,000 partner merchants and 160,000 effective communication channel with their app downloads. We expect our growth Let’s turn money into bits customer community. This could lead to continue exponentially to reach 100,000 to many dialogue opportunities. We have partner merchants by the end of this year. The payment sector, where Satispay integrated on the control panel a specific operates, is another category that is function that helps merchants define and generating buzz. Just think: when you need communicate promotions via the app, to collect money, or buy a present, or split allowing for their instant visualization the bill after a meal with friends, technology on users’ screens. will connect consumers and retailers across This reflects a cultural shift: as the a whole range transactions. When you want influence of technology on daily life grows, to buy a bottle of water, or a magazine, but the way consumers connect with and pay

22 23 PART 2 We, Generali BRIEF SUMMARY We, Generali BRIEF SUMMARY We, Generali

A lot of time is spent at work and at Generali is embracing these trends Generali we know that employees who by defining a new workspace concept: are happier and more engaged if their we are redefining the office area, work provides a better experience for its design principles and overall clients. Thus, we constantly examine configuration based on the the range of innovative work methods development of new connectivity that have been encouraged by tools. Our future offices, such as those connectivity and the workspaces that in the Generali Tower in Milan, these methods inspire. described by Ruggero Forni below, will provide the ambience for an Virtual workspaces, for instance, efficient work methodology and are a network of several work places an integrated approach. connected via a private network or the Internet without regard to geographic In his article on Freedom at Work, boundaries. Employees are thus able Lorenzo Maresca finds that the to collaborate regardless of where they workspace is not facing extinction, are located. Our organization in but is turning into a place to meet Indonesia is a good example of this. people, share experience and knowledge, work in a team, Teleworking enables our employees and be inspired. to work efficiently in an offsite location, be it home or hotel or client offices. Finally, Giangiacomo Olivi Hot desking is another form of of DLA Piper and Valter Trevisani, teleworking. Rather than fixed places, Generali’s Group Chief Insurance employees are each day allocated a Officer take us through the desk where they can access services opportunities that connectivity is such as the Internet, e-mail and bringing to the insurance world. computer network files. The Generali HQ in Paris has standardized At Generali, it is people who are workstations with motorized desks for central to a workspace concept standing or sitting and a business that maximizes human potential, center for visiting colleagues. performance, and productivity.

by the Editorial Office G24 25 PART 2 We, Generali OVERVIEW New Ways of Working OVERVIEW New Ways of Working

PREFACE Hyperconnectivity, new knowledge and technology innovations point to the different ways we can experience the workspace.

by Ruggero Forni What workspaces will accommodate us at the Generali offices around the world and at the Generali Tower in Milan? And how are we going to work together inside a structure that is far more welcoming and innovative than that to which most of us are accustomed? The initial answer can be found in the workplace pilot programs on the fourth floor of the historical Generali headquarters in Milan’s Piazza Cordusio, on the first floor of the St. Denis office in Paris and in the new Leipzig center in Germany, where our Generali colleagues are fine-tuning the standards for New Ways of Working (NWoW). During the last few months, the fourth floor of the Cordusio offices has been reorganized with the aim to define and test a new approach toward workspaces and technology, in tune with the best solutions selected for the layout of the Hadid Tower,

which will accommodate over 2,500 GIRALDI FABRIZIO

26 27 PART 2 We, Generali OVERVIEW New Ways of Working OVERVIEW

business and mobility demands, its need documents, presentations and information to interact and cooperate with other groups. through instant communication platforms The project envisages simplified, instant that are faster than emails. An example An example is the popularity information sharing among colleagues, is the popularity of Skype for Business to set of Skype for Business the creation of specific areas for the various up videoconferences via computer and share activities carried out during the workday, documents during these meetings. to set up videoconferences the choice of the workstations best suited Space optimization – a need that has via computer and share for each role, the versatility of the tools used been universally acknowledged in the last documents during these to access data and information. few decades – is a challenge that in some Time and space become more fluid thanks cases has turned out to be more beneficial meetings to innovations that enable the sharing of than thought. Spurred by the need to contain FABRIZIO GIRALDI FABRIZIO

Using certain basic principles, every team will be able to customize its optimal work setup FABRIZIO GIRALDI FABRIZIO

Milan-based Generali Group colleagues with whom to work, and which technologies From the top: from 2018. to use. It means focusing both on the most Personal offices have desks conceived to Physical space, technological tools, visible aspects, such as the actual design accommodate small work functions and evolving modes of (workstations, activity-specific areas, natural meetings behavior -- particularly among the younger warm lights, furnishings and decorative generations -- are defining the reality of where elements), as well as on other less tangible, Traditional desks are equipped with we work and live, and at the same time are yet fundamental details that support this computers, partition addressing new business and personal needs. approach: organization, technological panels and telephones

The workspace, in particular, represents innovation, communication, autonomy, Opposite page: the terrain where the best solutions can flexibility, engagement, time management, The break room is be planned and tested to achieve the best inclusivity. equipped, among other things, with sound- goals in term of engagement, cost reduction We call it ‘Ways’ because it’s not absorbing sofas that and time management. one-size-fits-all: using certain basic principles, create privacy areas Talking about New Ways of Working every team will be able to customize an for conversations or phone calls, and muffle means identifying where, when, how and optimal work setup according to its own environment noise GIRALDI FABRIZIO

28 29 PART 2 We, Generali OVERVIEW New Ways of Working OVERVIEW

costs, it has proved helpful both in terms Opposite page: of efficiency (the closer interaction among 01 – Standing desks are provided to visitors The closer interaction colleagues enables the sharing of ideas) and employees for and as a means of fostering a stronger short-term use or among colleagues enables informal meetings sense of belonging toward corporate the sharing of ideas, identity and values. 02 – Drawer units which helps improve The Activity Based Flexible Office provides next to the desk become guest chairs: productivity areas designed for different activities: every detail has been • areas with workstations that can be conceived for maximum reserved for specific needs (touch down, functionality sharing and clear desk policy); 03 – Skype for Business • visual and acoustical privacy areas for is one of the most useful and popular 01 02 concentration and confidential phone calls tools on personal Quiet room, Phone Booth); computers and large screens alike • video-enabled meeting rooms that can be

used for videoconferences as well as slide 04 - Videos panels presentations (Office & Meet); welcome employees and visitors with • break rooms and/or kitchenettes, where different messages it’s possible to take a break or eat a meal. 05 – Traditional desks aren’t necessarily As part of this workspace and technology assigned and can rethink there is no shortage of furnishings be used by anyone like lockers for storing personal effects and recycling bins in communal or transit areas that over time will replace the wastebaskets near each desk. There are also relaxation areas and decorative elements such as panels that recall the values, history and the brand of the company, as well as plants and objects 03 04 to create a pleasant environment for moving around and connecting. Being able to work everywhere with the tools provided by the company, using flexible office spaces conceived to address timely needs, speeding up the sharing of documents and presentations, taking advantage of a break to socialize with colleagues in a purpose-designed area … all is part of the New Ways of Working we are building. We live in a world in constant mutation and the workplace is being transformed into a more innovative and flexible space in tune with our lifestyle and us. FABRIZIO GIRALDI FABRIZIO 05 30 31 PART 2 We, Generali OVERVIEW New Ways of Working OVERVIEW

Freedom@Work —Sedus’ research into the new ways of working One of the things people did best at the office was“ to use flexibility to its last atom”

—Pawan Mishra

by Lorenzo Maresca How do we create solutions for wide range of workplace scenarios and 2010 2016 Permanent workers —Country Manager, Sedus Stoll Srl the workplace to improve people’s general office environments. The places we wellbeing, happiness and cooperation assessed include the large offices of major at work? multinational companies as well as smaller This is the question that Sedus, Generali enterprises’ team workspaces. We concluded Group’s key partner for planning and that today the office is one of the places Mobile workers developing workspace solutions, aimed to that are most influenced by the evolution of address with the ‘Freedom@Work’ research people’s lifestyles. That’s why it has to satisfy project, as it tried to identify and study the the needs of its users when it comes to mechanisms of the ongoing transformation introducing the changes required by in the office world. a corporate transformation process. As part of our field research, we The office also needs to take into visited several companies known for account the expectations of different

their innovative approach in order to generations who work together in the same 10 – 15 m2 10 – 12 m2 gather ideas and information on the environment. per person per person

Companies are (47%), who think On one hand, the younger generations As part of this research, we have therefore intangible. From an identity perspective, increasingly prioritizing workplace strategy is struggle to stay focused, remain seated for ‘distilled’ four key requirements for buildings and office layouts will take on the development of important but not yet a strategy that can a priority; the laggards a long time and prefer digital communication the workplace: focus, communication, a more important role for companies and Sedus, Engaging transform the office into (23%), whose plans to verbal exchanges. On the other hand, cooperation and contemplation. people, who are the actors in a global, 27% an ‘engaging platform’ don’t have a place for an office furnishings Platform more experienced and more focused We can draw the conclusion that the flexible and ever-changing reality. specialist with eight with added services, workplace strategy. branches in Europe Early which is flexible, able to employees like to move around and prefer office – or, better, the workspace – is not Within this context, corporate culture and a worldwide Adopters attract new talents and face-to-face communication if they need to facing extinction, but is turning into a place is also being shaped through the creation distribution network, play an important role in speak to their colleagues. to meet people, share experience and of workspaces inspired by cultural was founded in 1871 the quest for maximum in Waldshut, Germany. performance, but at the Sedus has studied the dynamics of knowledge, work in a team, be inspired. and generational diversity, with layouts With two production same time keep costs the changes inside companies and has The overall advantages offered by corporate conceived for project work and for centers in Germany, down. They can be split Sedus is a privately into three groups: the responded to the evolution of the workplace life have become particularly important interactive, occasional communication. owned company ‘early adopters’ (27%), with design solutions that generate among the younger generations when controlled by two 23% who think workplace wellbeing and above all spread knowledge choosing a potential employer. non-profit foundations. strategy is necessary Laggards to achieve success; the and experience to help lead colleagues Some of the benefits that can swing majority Source: www.onrec.com and clients toward new workplace realities. the choice toward a certain employer are

32 33 PART 2 We, Generali POINT OF VIEW The connectivity revolution and connected insurance POINT OF VIEW The connectivity revolution and connected insurance

PREFACE Generali is ready to ride the connectivity This connectivity has the potential to unstructured data science, to improve lead to the development of personalized both efficiency and customer experience wave and transform the insurance industry. products and experiences, with tech giants • In Life, the In Force Management strategy Connectivity, mobility and and best in class retailers setting high is going to be supported by applying access to information have Switching from a reactive to proactive player, standards. customer and policy data analytics for transformed all that we do, we can disrupt how insurance is done. Increasing connectivity, exponential portfolio profiling and actions optimization data growth and demanding customer • In Retail Underwriting augmenting in many ways making our expectations make the Insurance market internal customer and policy data with lives easier an area ripe for disruption. But disruption external data source and applying the does not need to come from the outside: link analytics technique is going to here in Generali we have a unique support fraud and risk prevention opportunity to reposition ourselves by • In all line of business industrializing the embracing these trends. We can move development and use of cross/up-selling, from a reactive approach of claims payer retention models as a support to portfolio to that of a proactive protector, both for management and commercial activities well-known risks and for the emerging ones • Scout and embed external data sources in our customers’ physical and digital lives. (behavioral information, credit scoring, weather, etc.) to support the sophistication of UW, pricing and claims predictive The Connected Insurance team modeling practices

This is why we have created the Connected To build the future we are reshaping Insurance team, to prepare Generali to grow the insurance value proposition focusing the business in a connected world. We want on the following main priorities: by Valter Trevisani The connectivity revolution to be a transformation agent, helping our • Industrialize the roll out of Car, Home —Group Chief Insurance Officer people to apply an analytics and data driven and Health Connected Insurance Products Everything is connected. Our lives are approach, to both protect our core business • Fully embed MyDrive behavioral profiling different. Connectivity, mobility and and to build the future. in Generali’s telematics business access to information have transformed In order to protect the core we are exploiting the competitive advantage all that we do, in many ways making our supporting our BUs in embedding data driven deriving from the acquisition lives easier. Smartphones, tablets, cars, decision making culture across all the LoBs • Leverage on Progressive partnership houses, electrical appliances, wearables, and components of the insurance value chain: to further sophisticate our behavioral call centers, digital contracts, images, • In claims processes by applying profiling capabilities and develop a new emails; all are part of the connectivity advanced predictive modelling on generation of highly customized telematics revolution. augmented data brings improvements products The connectivity convenience is not in the fraud detection rate and additional • Stay tuned in the community of digital without a cost. Everything we do leaves savings in P&C and Health native innovators, build a data and traces, and as consumers we expect that • In Claims supporting process analytic partner ecosystem to fuel speed the information collected is used ethically. streamlining with structured and of change

34 35 PART 2 We, Generali POINT OF VIEW The connectivity revolution and connected insurance POINT OF VIEW

Connected Products across the Group frequency of interaction that customers have Ogi Redzic, senior vice The success of with their insurer. In a nutshell: from “loss and president for connected connected cars will be vehicles at the Renault- through data sharing in Modern, hybrid customers As a Group we believe that Connected refund” to “prevent and protect” approach. Nissan Alliance, speaks the Internet of Things Insurance products, starting from car Through technology and data analytics during the Nissan (see this issue on p. ask for new modes Motor Co. press event 08), both with other telematics, are representing a game changer, capability we can understand the behavior at the 2017 Consumer cars (to avoid traffic of access to interact a revolutionary element for the insurance of our customers and therefore the risks they Electronics Show (CES) and accidents) and with the insurer industry and this is the reason we are in the are posing to themselves and to the society, in Las Vegas. Nissan is with other devices betting that regulators (for example home process of developing many projects in this provide advice on how our customers could will find it easier to automation). It domain. lower their risk profile by changing driving approve vehicles that underlines the need have all the capabilities to understand which There’s a seismic shift happening in the behaviors and motivate them to improve their of a self-driving car risks we run and how to industry: technology is dramatically changing behaviors. but are supervised by protect our cars through the rules of the game and, most importantly, From the point of view of the Insurer humans miles away. Cyber Security.

our customers behaviors and expectations. there are significant benefits as well, like a In 2020 more than In fact external estimations show that there more accurate pricing, access to traditionally 140 million cars will will be 6,5 connected devices per person non-appealing segments of customers, an be connected to the Internet. in 2020 – with an increasing percentage increase in customer loyalty (reductions in of connected homes and wearables – and number of churners thanks to additional 140 millions cars will have some form of services), innovative value-added services,

connectivity. reduced costs through a better claims GETTY IMAGES / BLOOMBERG In this scenario the real value for management (more accurate assessment of customers is satisfying their needs and claims, detection and deterrence of fraud, demands with innovative solutions leveraging etc.) and greater products and services connectivity in a simple and smart way. differentiation. In parallel it is obvious that modern, hybrid The main keywords related to the customers ask for new modes of access to connected insurance products development choosing the right type of interaction New activities are under way in order interact with the insurer and are more and are: channel and payment to improve and our product offering more independent, informed, demanding • Connectivity: • Proactive protection: and customer experience extending and are challenging traditional insurance delivering a high level of service to clients rewards for healthy lifestyles and the approach to the connected home approaches. taking advantage of connected object, integration of preventive elements in the and health. An important example is our The insurer must be able to offer new their real time connectivity and the huge insurance solutions, creating real value for partnership with Progressive, where we insurance solutions to cover many emerging amount of information they provide customers and providing peace of mind aim to bring our behavioral profiling lifestyle needs leveraging on data and • Simplicity: systems to the next level the sophistication. connected objects: in this respect the making our customers’ life easier, offering As a Group we are already well positioned This will enable a new generation of principles of connectivity, simplicity, clear, simple solutions in this field with more than 1,3 million motor customized car telematics solutions, flexibility and proactive protection are • Flexibility: telematics policies with a leading position rewarding good drivers and helping them the key ingredients in delivering high quality solutions tailored to customer needs, in Italy, we are forerunner in the connected to improve their safety on the road through real time-services to clients leveraging to the that are built around the client, allowing home and we have the most innovative tailor made customer feedback. data available. This is used to prevent losses, a tailored approach to shaping the offer, wellness program of today delivered by extend the scope of services and raise the modifying it as time passes, and Generali Vitality.

36 37 PART 2 We, Generali LEGAL BACKGROUND The challenging opportunities of the connected insurance world LEGAL BACKGROUND The challenging opportunities of the connected insurance world

by Furio Curri The insurance market is changing rapidly, ushered in under the new European General underlying patents and other IPRs, such as (IVASS) actively promoted the use of digital processes. This may imply a review of contract — Head of Group Intellectual driven by shifting customer expectations and Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) after 25 new technologies devised internally, acquired documents and other online tools to manage standards, such as agile software or technology Property, Antitrust and Labour technological progress. IoT and connected May 2018, reaching up to 4% of global annual or licensed from third parties. client relationships. Electronic documents development, and other supply agreements, Legal Affairs devices are transforming the industry, driven turnover. A review of underlying software policies (including policies), increasingly executed also with a view to avoid vendor “lock-in”. by telematics for motor insurance, wearable But connected insurance is not only about and architectures must address which type or through mobile devices will have to meet The digital transformation and the new and Giangiacomo Olivi technologies and m-health apps for health data protection. When dealing with connected portion of open source software to avoid issues legal and regulatory requirements. A recent connected technology environment can be — Partner DLA Piper insurance, and smart appliances and devices devices and technologies, a full assessment of future usage, supported by an adequate change to Italy’s digital signature regulation fully optimized through clear understanding for home insurance. At the same time, of devices and their marketability standards community and compliant cybersecurity. A provides that any electronic signature may be and compliance with legal requirements customers expect to be always connected with is required, to meet the harmonized EU review can include the entire process that led equivalent to a standard written signature, and when properly addressed will allow the their insurers, through new apps and tools that requirements. Any equipment that uses the to the creation of a software. Other intellectual but may be assessed in court on a case-by-case Insurance sector to fully reap the benefits and facilitate a smooth interaction. Within this radio frequency spectrum must comply with property issues may also include copyright and basis. In such cases, strong authentication greater visibility of the marketplace, to deliver “connected” scenario, insurance companies the 1999 Radio and Telecommunication patents infringements and formal copyright can avoid the risk of a challenge to an a smoother user experience and ensure better can process a large number of data, used to Terminal Equipment (R&TTE) Directive, assignments, and prior patent searches and electronic signature. value for customers and shareholders alike. manage risks and gather insights for new and the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) warranties from contributing developers are Insurance interaction with pure products, with substantial benefits for the 2014. The insurance company is responsible invaluable risk management practices. technology or insurtech start-ups may vary, whole insurance value chain. for all devices bearing insurance company Use of mobile channels for requiring careful assessment of the role played In terms of data protection, the greater trademarks, even if such devices are in fact communication, registration, payment of by all involved parties, including software the growth of data volume and value in the manufactured or assembled by third parties. premiums and claims processing must also developers and device manufacturers, so connected environment, the greater the And, of course, devices must also be properly be assessed. Sector regulators have shown that all parties are fully aware of the risks challenges facing insurance companies. installed and authorized. varying levels of enthusiasm, as they balance involved (and of their responsibility). In Thus good data management is paramount, In the sphere of connected insurance the need for dynamic insurance management this new technological context, insurance not only for market differentiation, but also to ownership of intellectual property rights processes and required regulatory controls. companies may also implement scalable and avoid the substantial risks such as sanctions (IPRs) is key, requiring careful assessment of In Italy, the insurance sector regulator agile strategies that can simplify business

38 39 PART 3 Business & Strategy BRIEF SUMMARY Business & Strategy BRIEF SUMMARY Business & Strategy

Generali is partnering with Microsoft As always, the human factor will to build a digital ecosystem that will be at the core of our development. lead the insurance world. Microsoft Increased connectivity will mean that will help us reinvent our Way of interactions with customers will Working, build the intelligent cloud become more engaging and dynamic and create a more personal form of and employees will be empowered computing. Together we will more at individual levels. accelerate Generali’s digital transformation with new business Carlo Purassanta, CEO of Microsoft models, products, services, and Italia, and Bruce Hodges, Generali’s experiences. Our operations will be Group Chief Information and Digital optimised, our employees Officer, outline the partnership and empowered. its benefits in the following articles.

Connecting via Microsoft to the broad ecosystem of developers will give us access to powerful new innovative business models and best-in-class applications and services.

Our workplace will become more mobile and collaborative, encouraging creativeness and producing new ideas. Through connectivity, processes can be designed to allow faster go-to-market models, and enable more flexible solutions.

by the Editorial Office 40 B 41 PART 3 Business & Strategy INTERVIEW Microsoft Partnership INTERVIEW

Microsoft Partnership Technology is reshaping our“ world and has the potential — Interview with Carlo Purassanta to change everything: people, products, processes, businesses, by Chiara Ronchetti communities” —Corporate and Business Communications, Microsoft Italia

Alberto Branchesi —Analytics Platform Manager, Generali

Q1—How can connectivity drive this means it is now possible to enrich positive social change? What are clients’ experiences with services that the benefits for people and will dramatically change the companies and how is Microsoft profit-sharing equation in the value committed to support them? chain of every single industry; for individuals, such intelligent, Technology is reshaping our world personalized services will ‘augment’ and has the potential to change our capabilities; for society in general everything: people, products, this technology will help solve some processes, businesses, communities. of the most difficult problems on Pervasive connectivity and broad earth through unprecedented access to new digital services impact computing power and new people’s and organizations’ life capabilities in the sphere of Artificial disrupting every aspect of our society. Intelligence. Mobility and cloud computing are In this mobile-first, cloud-first powering this overall digital context, Microsoft is committed to transformation, by empowering help every person and organization companies, governments, on the planet to achieve more, with PREFACE Microsoft is committed to help every person and communities and individuals, and the ambition of reinventing organization on the planet to achieve more, with the ambition fuelling innovation in every corner productivity, building the intelligent of reinventing productivity, building the intelligent cloud and of the planet. Data have become cloud and creating a more personal a new fundamental asset for value computing. Together with our creating a more personal computing. creation: from a business perspective partners’ ecosystem we want to

42 43 PART 3 Business & Strategy INTERVIEW Microsoft Partnership INTERVIEW

improve the way people work and but for the full-range of economic and Q3—What is Microsoft’s view on We will continue to adhere to the live and accelerate the digital social challenges. Last fall, world the future of connectivity and highest standards of storing and transformation, disrupting industry leaders at the UN adopted 17 which are the key challenges and protecting data, exploring the tough landscapes, and being the catalyst sustainable development goals to opportunities? ethical questions and coming up with for new business models, products, tackle some of the toughest global solutions that take into account the services, and experiences. problems by 2030, including poverty, Connectivity is the new normal and magnitude of the issues that we are An opportunity for people to express hunger, health and education. it’s boosting disruptive experiences trying to solve. their full potential and for companies A careful read of those goals reveals also through the democratizing We’re committed to democratizing to engage customers in new ways, the central role that data and cloud power of cloud computing. With this intelligent technology and harnessing transform products, optimize computing must play for analysis opportunity comes great the power of a broad ecosystem operations and empower employees. and action. A broad effort on a global responsibility. We must continue to of developers to create powerful new basis and a new public-private be thoughtful about the research we applications and experiences. Q2—Quality of life is core to partnership model is essential to take do and the products and services we We’re committed to creating best- Generali’s business model. How the most of new technologies for create with impact across the globe. in-class applications and services and can Microsoft support that aim? public good. Each IT provider has a role to play and in Microsoft we want Connectivity and cloud computing are to do our part through Microsoft enabling one of the most important Philanthropies’ investments and Adjacent and on the transformations of our time. We must collaborating with governments following pages: exterior and interior ensure that the public cloud is used for all over the world. To accelerate views of Microsoft the public good, so Microsoft is connectivity and public cloud for House, the headquarters of Microsoft Italy, investing in 100 datacenters in 40 public good, it’s essential to invest inaugurated this year in the Porta Volta Countries and is donating $1 billion in infrastructure, building skilled neighborhood of Milan worth of cloud services to NGOs and human capital and creating a balanced university researchers working on regulatory environment. solving big problems. We recently launched the book Cloud The data, intelligence and analytics for Global Good including 78 policy offered by the cloud should not be recommendations and outlining limited to wealthy societies, but used a roadmap for how we can work to improve the world’s health, together with governments to build a education and environment. cloud that is trusted, responsible, and As a matter of fact cloud services can inclusive. Our commitment to unlock data in ways that create new building an intelligent, trusted, global insights and lead to breakthroughs cloud is broad, unwavering and core not just for science and technology, to our mission.

44 45 PART 3 Business & Strategy INTERVIEW Microsoft Partnership INTERVIEW

to hiring the best and brightest researchers and engineers to help solve some of most vexing problems. Ultimately, we work to build cross- industry and private-public collaborations and associations, to make sure Cloud and Artificial Intelligence produce a positive outcome, leveraging the opportunities they bring but also minimizing the associated risks on security, privacy, employment, ethics. We strive for a positive overall societal impact.

Q4—Insurance is evolving fast and consumer trends are influencing our business strategies. How can connectivity help us to deliver simpler smarter and faster solutions?

With technology in the insurance industry evolving at breathtaking speed, I think there are three areas where innovation is a must: • First of all the interactions with customers have to become more engaging and dynamic, • Second, every company can create a Digital Culture: the workplace is becoming more mobile and collaborative, energy and creativeness have to produce new ideas, employees can be

46 47 PART 3 Business & Strategy INTERVIEW Microsoft Partnership INTERVIEW

empowered more at individual Cloud, big data, mobile, and social to modernize core business systems, Nowadays employees work on nearly level to allow speed and technologies can be brought improve business insights, and twice the number of teams than they • Third, technology can dramatically together to provide the seamless, enable the digital experiences did five years ago, which may be transform the operating contextual experiences customers customers now demand. a challenge unless they have the mechanisms. Processes can be demand, regardless of channel or By leveraging new technologies appropriate tools at hand to enable designed to allow faster go-to- device. In Microsoft we believe that Generali will improve customer this level of collaboration. Also, market models, and enable more for insurance carriers to be acquisition and retention for information overload is a challenge flexible solutions, adaptable to successful, it’s essential to organic growth, effectively contact and wastes roughly 25% of workers’ individual needs be present in the lives of your and engage with customers outside time. Last but not least, security customers any time, any place, of life events, grow premium by threats is top of mind for everyone To succeed in the current digital across any channel or any device. attracting new generations of nowadays and can pose a huge world, we have to create the digital Together with our partners’ customers through social media challenge to productivity. New interactions and experiences that ecosystem, we are providing the and mobile channels, gain greater technologies empower employees customers expect. insurance industry with solutions insight into risks and business and help them cope with these performance. How? For example, challenges. At Microsoft we are they can gather data from sensors committed to support companies in in cars, homes, wearables, job sites, maximizing opportunities while going factories and identify risks in through digital transformation and real-time. They can use social media with our cloud productivity platform internally to improve collaboration Office 365 we can, for example, help and customer service. They can get people - operating in organizations of a holistic view of the business, risk any size and industry – be more exposure, and customers, thanks to efficient and effective. Insurance business intelligence and risk insight is a sector where the human factor systems. On the whole, investing in is strategic and empowering agents innovation and more modern core to achieve more can make the business systems allows to the difference in securing competitive improvement of IT cost ratios while edge. In our vision four key assets are better supporting new channel and essentials to reinvent productivity in product initiatives. the Insurance world: Collaboration to improve knowledge sharing within Q5—How can technology help the employees’, agents’ and partners’ Generali to work more efficiently network, Mobility to enable agents and how can our agents benefit and employees to get things done from connectivity? anywhere and keep easily in touch

48 49 PART 3 Business & Strategy INTERVIEW Microsoft Partnership INTERVIEW

Carlo Purassanta —CEO, Microsoft Italia

Empowering agents to achieve Carlo Purassanta, 43, a degree graduate in Management Engineering from Politecnico di Milano and a Master of Business Administration from Henley Business School, is CEO of “ Microsoft Italy, leading the growth of the company and the country’s innovation system with more can make the difference the objective of supporting the digitization of businesses, public administration and private citizens. He comes from Microsoft France where, since January 2011, he served as Director of Services Division. Before joining Microsoft, he worked for fourteen years at IBM, guiding in securing competitive edge” various business areas in France and Europe.

He is a board member and Chairman of Confindustria Digitale and President of the group specialising in industry platforms for SMEs. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Foreign Investors Committee of Confindustria and is responsible for its group work dedicated to “Research, innovation and education”. Finally he is a Board Member of Amcham - American Chamber of Commerce in Italy.

with customer and prospects, objectives: to improve the experience a flexible and open platform to reach This is a long-term view and Intelligence to get insights to better of Customers, Employees and operational excellence both in back connectivity plays, of course, a key engage with customers and drive Distribution Network, to gain office activities as in front end sales role to turn these ambitions into better business, and Trust to protect operational efficiencies and to deliver operations. reality. Our ambition is to enable data, people and organization product innovation and new business In fostering Customer Centricity, Generali to lead in the insurance especially in a sensitive field such models. We are confident our joint Microsoft’s analytical capabilities of market, reimagining its customer as Insurance. effort – announced last November social activities can help Generali engagement, employee experience, after Generali’s Investor Day – will increase engagement with customer business model and operations. Q6—Which are the key levers of be able to generate outstanding prospects with timely, tailor-made Microsoft’s partnership with outcomes in terms of Digital offers. This allows Generali to build Generali and how can it enable Workplace, Customer Centricity new effective and efficient Generali’s strategy? and Connected Insurance: communication channels our partnership will focus on these that improve customer experiences, Microsoft acts as a strategic business three key assets. Aiming at turning supported by innovative insurance partner of companies on a Digital the Digital Workplace into reality, products that can exploit Cloud and Transformation path and this role is together with Generali we will Artificial Intelligence. even more important in a sector, such identify an innovative state of the By creating a Connected Insurance as Insurance, which is closely art platform to allow a consistent business platform, Microsoft can connected with people and life, where workplace experience for all help establish a digital ecosystem new technologies can make a clear employees, using the most advanced where third-party operators interact difference. Microsoft’s partnership services available for collaboration with Generali to provide with Generali will focus on Digital and communications: we will boost value-added services to customers Transformation with different the ‘Generali New Ways of Working’, in the Connected Insurance area.

50 51 PART 3 Business & Strategy INTERVIEW Microsoft Partnership INTERVIEW

Generali’s digital evolution

by Bruce Hodges At Generali, technology is changing. educational programs and virtual family We are looking to build an environment spaces and calls. The enterprise is now of true connectivity that is faster, cheaper part of this digital evolution. As a and better. This mantra (by no means an consequence, our behaviors are evolving alternative to Simpler, Smarter. Faster) is the result is an unstoppable bottom-up and the path to serving the needs of our product influence in a hybrid sphere of personal and development and go-to-market strategies professional. and serving employee needs. Our goal is to enable, through the technological and strategic partnership with Microsoft, Bottom–line benefits the three areas of collaboration of our transformation: Digital Workplace, Customer New working approaches can help Generali Centricity and Connected Insurance. empower employees, reduce travel costs and increase agile working. It is also a strong contributor to delivering on our The power of connectivity sustainability commitments and reducing our carbon footprint. In this context, New Ways of Working is our cloud-based environment. It will leverage the ubiquitous digital workspace Our Destination Bruce M. Hodges, and in the future, the global Industrial Group Chief Information Internet of Things (IIoT) and the challenging We are headed towards a stronger digital & Digital Officer (CIDO) has 25 years of financial opportunities of connected insurance. footprint in partnership with others. This spirit services experience Sharing and collaboration are key to of collaboration is central to our strategy in insurance, banking, achieving results that add value to our to enhancing the business platform, taking and investment, and sees IT innovation solutions and services. Individual ownership Generali to a new position of strength in as a key enabler of becomes shared ownership, managed with the Insurance sector through partnerships efficient and effective operations, enhanced others in virtual and real spaces, driving with innovative players like Microsoft, while sales and profitability innovation and building on the premise retaining a strong human factor to continue and performance of ‘the whole is greater than the sum with a personal and authentic service to our turnaround. of its parts.’ customers.

Consumer experience to enterprise workstyle

As consumers, we at Generali, are already living through the sharing of experiences in social media, digital sharing of documents,

52 53 PART 3 Business & Strategy SPOTLIGHT Success Stories SPOTLIGHT Success Stories

Germany Hungary

by Francesco Orsi PREFACE Five billion digitally connected potential We live in a world where five billion people People with busy lives view the frequent, When life gets complicated, it’s good to are digitally connected every day. time-consuming paperwork for health have someone we can rely on. In Hungary clients are daily searching the Internet for These digital citizens use several insurance claims as a major chore. Generali use simple communication tools devices – smartphones, smart watches, At Central this unwieldy process has been to make life easier for customers who smarter applications. tablets, personal computers – to work, completely digitized, eliminating paperwork, are dealing with claims at stressful times. connect, share experiences on social shortening reimbursement time and making Customers can start the claim process online media, shop and watch videos. They also everything more transparent. Using the app and receive payment right away, while being expect to be understood, recognized and provided by Generali, customers simply take kept updated on their claims settlements catered to on a direct, individualized level. a photo of their invoices and submit them by email. Additionally, phone calls are made In its journey toward becoming Simpler, via smartphone. They can check the status before contacting them in writing, because Smarter and Faster, Generali has focused of their claims and receive paperless we believe in direct contact. on the changing needs and behavior of statements – saving time, money and trees As a global insurer, we know the connected society and has developed smart through a fully digital process. Since its way we deal with claims influences how new tools that are in tune with the lifestyle launch, the app has attracted more than customers perceive us. And we realize that of its digitally savvy customers. 30,000 users. Already more thawn 10% of making an effort to understand and satisfy We take quick world tour through some health insurance claims are now submitted customers’ needs is the best way Jochen Petin, Central of Generali’s latest activities… online. Based on these impressive results, to encourage their loyalty. Krankenversicherung Central is planning to release an Android AG CEO version of the app in 2017, which Germany. is expected to double user numbers. Claim in a Click – App Central We are also considering additional services that could be offered through the app. What started as a photo function app has quickly developed into an important pillar of our service strategy to meet the needs of connected citizens. Connectivity and innovative apps are bringing to Generali new customers around the world

54 55 PART 3 Business & Strategy SPOTLIGHT Success Stories SPOTLIGHT

Left: Davide Passero, Alleanza CEO and General Manager

Italy. Go Smarter, Go Digit@llCare

Right: Ivàn Ferrando, La Caja and Generali Americas Head of Marketing and External communication

Argentina. Within Waze - Distance to Our Agency

Italy Spain Argentina Hong Kong Europ Generali Assistance Global Health

In a world where almost everything can be Generali Spain has launched a new digital Mobile technology has changed the way In 2014, the Generali brand struggled to raise Identity protection is very important, The demand for international health coverage found online, Alleanza provides a digital underwriting platform that centralizes all we communicate, the way we search for its profile in the Hong Kong life insurance especially in the digital world. and solutions for globally mobile people customer approach. underwriting activities including contact information and the way we live. In a digital market. To react to the situation, Generali To offer customers safety and peace and anyone who needs comprehensive Digit@llCare uses digital tools for customer with customers, agents, intermediaries, world where everyone has a mobile phone Asia made a strategic decision to launch a of mind from threats of identity theft and medical care abroad is constantly growing. data collection, messaging, offer presentation, as well as operations that need approval in their pocket, visiting a branch or phoning project to tap into Hong Kong’s fast growing fraud, Europ Assistance created a portal That’s why Generali developed Generali contract subscription and correspondence, for life and non-life insurance. This a call center seem very old-fashioned and high-net-worth individual market and meet of services that addresses the complete Global Health, a dedicated provider of all via an interface that is both appealing innovative approach is managed through inefficient ways to get in touch with an the needs of this elite group by offering better life cycle of identity protection: prevention, International Private Medical Insurance and user-friendly for sales representatives a digital tool that provides connections insurance company. In a move to integrate premium rates to healthy customers. Generali monitoring, alerts and resolution - (IPMI) that grants access to the best health and customers alike. Agents are equipped between underwriters and intermediaries, branches into customers’ lives, in 2015 developed ‘Sigillo’, a new classification based combined with an easy-to-use design treatments worldwide, GGH offers an with a mobile device that functions as an making the service more efficient. La Caja set up a partnership with traffic on medical underwriting and the customer’s and extreme flexibility. upgrade from traditional health insurance office on the go, which helps them come up Distributors now have a digital tool app Waze to offer customers a simpler and country of residence. Launched in 2016, Iris integrates with round-the-clock multilingual assistance with solutions tailored for each customer. In to monitor information on all their smarter journey by directing them to the This application is so successful that our preventive and educational tools and by trained medical advisors, multi-currency turn, customers are able to sign digitally, pay underwriting activities on the platform, which nearest branch. share of the single premium sales in the Hong an identity protection service with an billing facilities as well as a medical concierge directly with their card and receive an emailed enables them to inform all their customers The campaign has generated traffic Kong brokerage market jumped from virtually easy-to-use dashboard. With one login, service. The online service works on any copy of their contract – a fully paperless about the situation of their quotation or toward branches while increasing brand 0 percent to 10 percent in two years, while customers can review product features device, everywhere. process. Since its launch, Digit@llCare has renewal in real time. This approach has visibility and improving client satisfaction. the high-net-worth program also outsold key for themselves and their families, made our commercial activities more efficient promoted a fully digital relationship between competitors in this target segment. It was activate their services online, monitor and has improved customer satisfaction. Generali and its intermediaries. such a success that Generali Hong Kong their personal information and view alerts shared its knowledge with the company’s in a secure area. China and South East Asia teams to replicate the high-net-worth business strategy.

56 57 PART 4 Twist BRIEF SUMMARY Twist BRIEF SUMMARY Twist

Every day 3.8 billion people click onto to Europe by 1650 both Oxford and the Internet using its connectivity to London boasted coffee houses of answer their questions, purchase good repute. Within 25 years every something, help with homework, major European capital had its perform professional functions or coffee-houses. Cafe Procope in Paris, speak with a relative on the other side which still exists today, was the of the world. But currently this centre of the Enlightenment connection is very much part of the movement of Voltaire, Rousseau and developed world. In Africa and South Diderot. Asia less than a third of the population have access; in Eritrea Different movements gathered in only 1%, in North Korea nobody. different coffee houses. Jonathan’s Coffee House saw the listing of stock Yet, even in the developed Western and commodity prices that ultimately world there are people who evolved into the London Stock conciously turn away from the Exchange. Lloyd’s coffee house connectivity of the Internet as our provided the venue for merchants photo-essays that follow show. For and shippers to discuss insurance the Anabaptist Mennonites there is deals, leading to the establishment of no question since they shun Lloyd’s of London insurance market. electricity. The Amish too, although The great auction houses of they accept some technologies, think Sotheby’s and Christie’s also owe computers and so forth are the devil’s their origins to the coffee house. tools. In the far north, the Ittoqqortoormiit eskimos don’t Our final feature in the Twist section bother. It isn’t going to effect their will take us on an excursion of some fishing. historic cafés stopping for photos in the much-loved Café San Marco. But most of us think that connectivity is not only an innovation but a human need. Take coffee-houses and cafés as an example. They were so popular in Mecca in the 1500s as political meeting places that the imams closed them down. In the 1600s cafes came by the Editorial Office 58 T 59 PART 4 Twist CONTEMPORARY SCENARIOS Can the Internet become truly global? CONTEMPORARY SCENARIOS

Can the Internet Internet penetration by region become truly global? Regional penetration figures, comparing internet users to total population

—Central Asia 48%

—North America —East Europe 88% 67%

—West Europe —East Asia 84% 57%

—Middle East 60%

by the Editorial Office —Central America —Southeast Asia 53% 53%

—South Asia 33%

PREFACE More than 50% of the population worldwide connects daily to the Internet at a growth rate that is both fast and constant. Yet, there are —South America —Africa —Oceania countries, like Eritrea, where only 66% 29% 68% 1% of the population has access to the Internet. As a result, there still is another obstacle to conquer in near future: the digital gap. table 1

60 61 PART 4 Twist CONTEMPORARY SCENARIOS Can the Internet become truly global? CONTEMPORARY SCENARIOS

Always-on connectivity has changed our way Global digital snapshot Internet penetration by country of life. Today, more than half of the global Key statistical indicators for the world’s internet, mobile, and social media users National internet penetration figures population regularly connects to the Internet, with over 3.773 billion people online every 99% day. This is according to the Digital In 2017 93% report by creative agency We Are Social in INTERNET ACTIVE SOCIAL 92% 91% 90% USERS MEDIA USERS 89% partnership with Hootsuite, the platform that 88% 88% 87% helps manage several social networks at the 3.773 bln 2.789 bln 85% 82% 82% same time. It was August 1991 when Tim 79% Berners-Lee, at the time a CERN researcher, PENETRATION PENETRATION 73% 72% 71% made the Internet accessible to everyone. 50% 37% 70% 67% Twenty-five years have since elapsed: a time 66% 66% span during which the Internet has become 60% 59% a fundamental part of our life. 58%

53% 53% According to a recent study, 2017 52% 51% 51% 50% has been a year of extraordinary growth UNIQUE ACTIVE MOBILE in Internet use at a global level: we MOBILE USERS SOCIAL USERS connect more often and we do it using 4.917 bln 2.549 bln 37% our smartphones. Still, if we look at the 35% global picture provided by the report, it PENETRATION PENETRATION emerges that Internet access can vary 66% 34% dramatically between geographical regions: it’s particularly low in South Asia and Africa, Source: wearesocial.com

table 2

Annual growth Year–On–Year change in key statistical indicators ITALY INDIA SPAIN SAUDI CHINA JAPAN EGYPT SOUTH SOUTH KOREA BRAZIL STATES STATES AFRICA RUSSIA UNITED UNITED ARABIA MEXICO TURKEY FRANCE GLOBAL NIGERIA POLAND CANADA VIETNAM AVERAGE KINGDOM THAILAND MALAYSIA GERMANY INDONESIA AUSTRALIA ARGENTINA SINGAPORE HONG KONG PHILIPPINES UNITED ARAB

TOTAL INTERNET ACTIVE SOCIAL Source: wearesocial.com POPULATION USERS MEDIA USERS

7.476 bln +10% +21% table 4 since Jan 2016 since Jan 2016 URBANISATION 54% +354 mln +462 mln where only one in three people has daily media have increased by 21%, while those access to the Internet, with penetration active on social media via mobile have rates of 33% and 29% respectively. shown a rise of 30%. In some of the world’s Indeed, the Internet is spreading If on one hand it’s true that web users poor rural areas it is at an incredible speed and is changing the keep growing, there are also parts of the still difficult to have a regular, active access to UNIQUE ACTIVE MOBILE way we interact. Around 37% of the global world with far more limited access to the Internet. Bringing MOBILE USERS SOCIAL USERS population is active on social networks. the net. Internet penetration rates have connectivity where it The number of unique mobile users, who reached almost 100% in some countries, doesn’t yet exist will be +5% +30% the goal of the future. since Jan 2016 since Jan 2016 represent 66% of the global population, such as the United Arab Emirates (99%), and that of active mobile users (around 34%) closely followed by Iceland, Norway and +222 mln +581 mln on social networks have soared. Luxembourg. At the other end of the What’s surprising – as shown in spectrum, instead, we find Chad (3%),

Source: wearesocial.com table 3 – is the speed of this growth. Niger (2%) and Eritrea in bottom place (1%), The use of Internet has grown 10% with the exception of North Korea, where

table 3 compared with 2016: active users on social the Internet as we know it does not exist.

62 63 PART 4 Twist CONTEMPORARY SCENARIOS Can the Internet become truly global? CONTEMPORARY SCENARIOS

Unconnected

The connectivity in which we are currently immersed is the result of a process that is rapidly transforming our society. Technological The Amish development goes hand in hand with progress and the connected world is now commonly considered to be the result of growth, development and improvement, especially as the research in this direction is far from slowing down. They don’t think But, we are never quite connected, ever present in all the places at once, never quite close to what we need. Is it that we can’t grow fast technology itself is harmful, but they enough? Absolutely not. There are those who, despite knowing the possibilities of connectivity, choose consciously to keep themselves reject its immoderate, away. Everytime and everywhere does not mean everyone. uncritical use. For example, a modern wood-burning stove is an excellent choice in cost-benefit terms. But they spurn television, computers and even the telephone, although in some communities there are payphones where people can make and receive calls.

Between 1992 and 2013 the Amish population grew 120%, compared with the 23% average growth in the U.S. in the same period. ERIC PARKER

The Mennonites

No electricity, no cars, no alcohol. These are just a few of the modern conveniences spurned by the Anabaptist Church communities, who shun a world they see as a bad influence with a resolute rejection SER_IS_SNARKISH of the consumer society

Today there are over one and a half million Ittoqqortoormiit Mennonites around the world, particularly in the U.S., the coastal regions It’s one of the easternmost point and of Honduras, Paraguay, world’s northernmost hosts a community Canada, Africa and settlements and, of fewer than 500 India. without a doubt, one of inhabitants who hunt the most isolated. It lies and fish for a living. on Greenland’s ERIC PARKER SER_IS_SNARKISH

64 65 PART 4 Twist STORIES A century of connections in historic cafes STORIES A century of connections in historic cafes

PREFACE Being connected is not just a technological opportunity, but also a need that is part of our DNA. The proof is in the fact that people sought to connect well before the arrival of Internet, by meeting in cafes.

by Diego D’Amelio In 1914, when Caffè San Marco was At the Paris Universal Exposition in 1900, where professionals who share the same exchange ideas and come up with political or A night at the opera in founded in Trieste, the hyper connectivity a group of French artists created several interests can meet. even revolutionary projects. During the 18th the year 2000, cartoon by Albert Robida, cloud that dominates our daily lives illustrations that imagined life in the year Space limitations to getting in touch with and 19th century in Europe, all this happened ca. 1882 was still unknown. The concept of space 2000: flying machines, underwater life, old friends, business deals, job searches, around a cup of coffee. ‘Coffee at the coffee was well understood at the time, thanks and automation. Although the telegraph exchanges between intellectuals and house is not an end, but a means,’ wrote to the long haul routes that merchant had already become a reality, no one was discussions about social and political issues Jewish-Viennese writer and theater critic Hans ships plied between the Adriatic Sea able to predict a world shrunk by the global don’t exist anymore. Weigel. That was in 1986, but those words and the Levant, and the hundreds of network, where an electronic tablet could Today we just need a smartphone. recall a culture that is closely intertwined with kilometers travelled by the letters that connect people at the opposite ends A century ago we just needed a cup of coffee. the magnificent historic cafes of the Austrian government offices, businesses, banks of the planet via a video call or The comparison is quite daring: on one hand capital. We immediately think of the neon sign and insurance companies sent to each email. Connectivity shrinks distances we have a global network that is accessible of Café Prückel, the elegant wood paneling other from the capitals of the Austrian and facilitates the exchange of information. to an ever increasing number of people, of Café Landtmann, the vaulted ceilings of empire. Not even the most visionary It makes us reachable anytime and on the other we have the restricted local Café Central: the theaters of socialization that people at the time could have imagined anywhere, opens up access to a huge flow networks that the elites set up in public spaces are deeply ingrained in the identity and in the what happened later. of knowledge, creates virtual communities to enable them to socialize, make deals, rituals of Viennese bourgeoisie.

66 67 PART 4 Twist STORIES A century of connections in historic cafes STORIES

The same dynamics spread to Trieste in the toward Austria had viewed with detachment Founded in 1914 by Istrian businessman first half of the 19th century, when numerous the passions of the Italian Risorgimento, cafes Marco Lovrinovich, San Marco instantly cafes began to crop up in the imperial In a city that for the sake were at first a meeting place for the emerging became the meeting place for political port city. They became meeting points for of loyalty toward Austria entrepreneurial bourgeoisie, providing activists during the effervescent years entrepreneurs, writers, artists, politicians an alternative space to salons and aristocratic of the futurist and nationalist movements. and even a few impoverished aristocrats. had viewed with clubs. Hot drinks and pastries appealed Entrepreneurs and intellectuals would The coffee house became the place where detachment the passions also to Austrian officers and civil servants, meet over coffee and take the opportunity relationships could be fostered. Connectivity of the Italian Risorgimento, intellectuals and artists. Unlike other to leaf through newspapers, exchange didn’t exist yet, but there was a willingness associations, women were admitted. gossip and relax with a game of chess cafes were at first a meeting (foto storica) to connect: a desire that was born alongside Political activism, which had split café or billiards while puffing a cigar. with humanity and remains the unstoppable place for the emerging patrons into progressives and conservatives Meanwhile, at the back, flyers thrust of its history. entrepreneurial bourgeoisie across European cities, would follow soon against the emperor would be printed European coffee houses became places afterwards: the idea of Italian unification and passports faked to help Italian with a strongly defined character, where the had led to the creation of a new country supporters avoid conscription into urban bourgeoisie and those who had had the and had begun to appeal to Trieste’s young the Austrian army, cross the border privilege to travel abroad could visit and feel irredentists, who hoped for the end of the and join the army of the Kingdom of Italy somewhat at home. Their décor and rituals Austrian empire and the unification with Italy. as volunteers. turned them into familiar places: anyone who has sipped a cup of coffee and tasted a delicious Viennese pastry will feel perfectly at ease whether at the New York or the Gerbaud in Budapest, the Slavia in Prague, the Pedrocchi in Padua, the Café de la Paix in Paris, the Verband in Zurich or the Orient Express in Zagreb. Tommaseo is the oldest café in continuous operation in Trieste, founded in 1830, and the meeting place for politicians and businessmen. The café was named in honor of Dalmatian writer Niccoló Tommaseo as a pointed declaration of Italianness at a time when the ideas of national unification had started to gain a foothold. Nine years later it was followed by Caffè degli Specchi, where in 1848 customers could leaf through about fifty international publications. Tergesteo opened its doors in 1863 inside a large shopping Above, from the top: arcade that in winter provided shelter against Ludwig Passini, Artists the bora wind. In 1865 it was the turn of at Caffè Greco in Rome 1856 Stella Polare. In the middle of the century there were over 50 cafes: their number had Giovanni Boldini, doubled by the time San Marco opened, the Conversations at the Café 1877/78 most recent arrival among historic cafes, but certainly the most famous, and the favorite Following pages: Caffè San Marco today, spot of literati and political activists since its photos by Nika Furlani inception. The cafes in Trieste offered a miniaturized replica of what was happening in the main capitals of the empire, where the sobering effects of the Congress of Vienna only briefly interrupted their political and cultural

ferments. In a city that for the sake of loyalty NIKA FURLANI

68 69 PART 4 Twist STORIES A century of connections in historic cafes STORIES

subdued lights lit up at night. Heavy cast-iron pedestals support the marble-topped tables. The place has thankfully remained unchanged, with the long, carved-wood counter and a striking coffee machine, halfway between retro and steampunk. The walls are lined with mirrors, stuccoes and medallions interspersed with frescoes depicting masks and devils. At the back of the hallway there is a piano. The music played over the audio system today is barely audible. Refurbished in the 1920s, the café

weathered the tragic storms of the century NIKA FURLANI unscathed, becoming the favorite spot of Trieste’s literati. It has survived as a splendid example of historic café, a destination for locals but also tourists who want a taste of the same atmosphere found in the cafes of Vienna, Ljubljana, Prague or Budapest. During the dark days of the fascist regime and in the aftermath of the war, Italo Svevo, Umberto Saba, Virgilio Giotti, Giani Stuparich and Silvio Benco were among its regular clients. Numerous painters, such as Argio Orell, Ugo Flumiani, Guido Grimani and Vito Timmel, joined them. In particular, from the 1950s, San Marco fulfilled its role as a place that facilitated connections and NIKA FURLANI NIKA FURLANI exchanges among writers like Bobi Bazlen, Fulvio Tomizza, Giorgio Voghera and Stelio Mattioni, while today Claudio Magris is always sure to find a table. Connecting cafes The café is housed on the ground floor of a building owned by Assicurazioni Generali, An international network of historic cafes. The owner of Caffè which also owns the buildings of Caffè degli San Marco, Alexandros Delithanassis, has launched the idea of building a cooperation network to link up the main cafes Specchi and Tommaseo. A few years ago in central Europe. In 2011 UNESCO included Viennese coffee War had begun and San Marco had become and Stella Polare, were also targeted. With the insurer responded to Magris’ appeal to house culture in its inventory of intangible cultural heritage. Hence the decision to propose to the city of Vienna the creation one of the many paradoxes that define Trieste: the exception of the latter, they don’t exist save it from closure after years of patchy of a network open to other European cities. a typically Viennese café with an Art Nouveau anymore, forgotten like Garibaldi, Nazionale, Literati like Italo Svevo management. Today San Marco is managed décor founded in the year that saw the start Francese and Greco. San Marco was also by a Triestine entrepreneur with a Greek As part of this project, Delithanassis has imagined a network and James Joyce, to foster commercial and cultural cooperation among historic of the conflict that would eventually dissolve the embodiment of provocation in the eyes name, just like the founders of Europe’s most coffee houses through a program of itinerant concerts, European empires and turn Austria’s main port of loyalists: the name and the décor with the who began conceiving beautiful coffee houses and the first coffee productions and exhibitions that would help support and widen into a provincial city of the Italian kingdom. lion motifs were obvious references to Venice, importers, who had shipped it to Trieste from the reach of the best ideas and performances in contemporary Ulysses at the tables Europe. The proposal also aims to promote coffee through the Austrian loyalists stormed the café and the sworn enemy of Austria’s two-headed of San Marco the Ottoman ports. Alexandros Delithanassis, products of artisanal and industrial roasters, as well as culinary closed it down on March 23, 1915, after Rome eagle. Authorities had frowned upon the with lively eyes and a knowing smile, has and wine-making traditions, which would find in the coffee house their ultimate showcase thanks to a demanding public that sees declared war on Vienna. It didn’t matter that choice of the name, but Marco Lovrinovich brushed away the patina of decay from the food and wine as life’s fundamental pleasures. it was the meeting place for cosmopolitan argued it was just a homage to his patron premises and has relaunched the café with a literati like Italo Svevo and James Joyce, who saint, despite the obvious green, white and well-stocked bookshop, revamping the pastry began to conceive Ulysses at the tables of red leaf decorations. Today these are painted selection and adding a restaurant service. San Marco. Several cafés where activists met in a burnished-gold hue that matches the The years have passed, but the rituals regularly, like Fabris, Ferrari, Milano, Edison austere style and the dark furnishings, which have stayed the same: the habitual meetings

70 71 PART 4 Twist STORIES A century of connections in historic cafes STORIES

over coffee, the attentive waiting staff (today with university degrees), the tables at the back for book signing events, the lawyers from the nearby tribunal who drop by to read newspapers still rigorously mounted on old-fashioned wooden sticks. They are joined by students and researchers, local politicians, gaggles of elderly ladies, office workers’ Diego meetings and what remains of a group of D’Amelio renowned literati, along with minor-league intellectuals. A journalist and Business meetings are not very historian, he contributes frequent because Trieste is no longer the to Trieste’s daily newspaper, il Piccolo dynamic entrepreneurial engine that Karl (published by Gruppo Marx described as the symbol of rampant Espresso) and to Ansa capitalism in an article published in 1857. news agency. He has previously contributed Times change, but here coffee has remained to Adnkronos news an established ritual for socializing. Austrian agency. He writes about politics, culture and writer Stefan Zweig described Viennese society, focusing on coffee houses as ‘a sort of democratic Italy, central Europe club, open to everyone for the price of and the Balkans. cheap coffee, where every guest can sit After his postgraduate down and, thanks to this small offer, chat, degree he worked as a researcher on the write, play cards, receive letters and, above history of Italian politics all, read an unlimited number of newspapers and of the border and magazines.’ At San Marco they are areas at the Italian- German Historical aware of this and kindly turn a blind eye on Institute in Trento. He those who stay on for hours after ordering has been a lecturer at the University of Trento just a cup of coffee. There is no public and has published dressing down for ‘the worst client,’ as the several scientific essays owner of Café de Flore in Paris would call that have appeared in international Jean Paul Sartre for his habit of spending publications in Italian, hours at the café with just one single order. English and German. Magris said that ‘cafés are places where He has been editor of Qualestoria magazine. you can be alone and surrounded by people at the same time’: today the get-together ritual His last book, The Defense of Italianness, continues, but there are many who sit at the published by Il Mulino, table facing only their computer. It’s nice to examines the political think that, in the era of connectivity, they are and cultural transition of Italy’s border regions not really alone, but are writing to someone during the 20th century. who is sitting at a café on the other side of the world. NIKA FURLANI

72 73 FABRIZIO GIRALDI 74 by theEditorialOffice The Platinum Bollettino Media category. accolade ofthisprestigious competition,inthePrint magazine wonfivePlatinumAwards, thehighest At the2016MarComAwards, theGeneralicorporate MARCOM AWARDS bollettino hasbeentrying tocapture the into aburden thatchainsustothepast. into alaunchpadtoward thefuture, not ahead totransformourlong,rich history understand it,anticipateitand explainit. be thefirsttocatchaglimpseofthatfuture, revamp thecompanymagazine, aimingto in thelasttwoyearswehavedecidedto answers iskeytoGenerali’s role. That’s why one willnot? we willlivein,andthecarsdrive? the foodthatwewilleat,ourwork,homes evolve? Whatchangesare instore fornature, opportunities? Howwillpeople’s behavior looming inthenextfewyears?Whatabout the future. feel ateaseinthepresent withoutanticipating happening fasterandfaster, andwecannot is yettocome--becausetodaychangesare daily life--notjustthepresent, butalsowhat ambassadors. starting from ouremployees,first people andthesocietythatsurround us, having hugeresponsibilities toward the set outtoworkonanissueofilbollettino. guides uswhenwethinkofGeneralias “Future inyourdailylife” isthemottothat il Since 2015thethirteenthseries ofil Being contemporarymeanslooking Knowing thequestionsandfinding Which technologywillhelpusandwhich How willweage?Whatdangersare It meansobservingandunderstanding Being aglobalinsuranceleadermeans

who havecontributed tothemagazine. and investedinit,withall theauthors company, whichhasbelievedintheproject it cannotstopevolving. already glimpseinourdailylives.That’s why way inoursocietyandofthefuture thatwe insightful interpreter ofthe changesunder our readers: you. The project isinconstant evolution,asare but italsorepresents astepinourjourney. Communication Professionals (AMCP). of theUSAssociationMarketingand accolade, byajurycomposedofmembers rewarded withthePlatinumAward, the top Only asmallpercentage ofentriesis 6,500 projects from allovertheworld. category –isjudgedagainsttheother Each entry–asingleproject foreach marketing andcommunicationexcellence. competitionthatrecognizesinternational Media category. five MarComPlatinumAwards inthePrint the announcementthatilbollettinohaswon we are delightedtointroduce thisissuewith company, newimagesandalayoutredesign. but alsoexpertsandauthorsoutsidethe the contributionsofseveralcolleagues, broadening itsvision,enrichingitselfthrough strength ofthefuture inourdailylives, We wanttoshare theseawards withthe Il bollettinowantstobeanevenmore It’s arecognition thatmakesusproud, MarCom Awards are aprestigious And sincegoodworkyieldsresults, MARCOM AWARDS feedback. Thankyou. are helpingusimprove itwiththeir have appreciated thenewbollettinoand all thereaders thatinthelasttwoyears But, aboveall,wewanttoshare themwith manager) Gambino (Project chief), Alessandra Bemporad (editorin staff director), Simone Sarah Brady(editorial Pauluzzo (editorialstaff) Cabas andRubens From theleft:Paola five MARCOMAwards. il bollettinowiththe The EditorialTeam of

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