Digital transformation has moved from aspiration to execution at Holmes Murphy, as the broker invests heavily in reshaping how employees and clients interact with insurance systems. The strategy reflects broader industry pressures to modernize legacy workflows while improving data accessibility and service delivery. At stake is not just efficiency, but the ability to remain competitive in a market increasingly influenced by technology-driven entrants.
The company’s approach builds on years of incremental change but has recently accelerated, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence and platform capabilities. “Digital and technology transformation is 100% happening at Holmes Murphy,” said Dave Ashton (pictured), the company’s CIO, framing the effort as both an opportunity and a necessity. That acceleration signals a shift from adapting existing tools toward actively shaping how those tools are used.
A central pillar of the strategy has been consolidating fragmented systems into a more unified operating environment. Historically, the firm relied on layering new capabilities onto existing infrastructure, particularly within its Salesforce ecosystem. That approach has evolved into something more deliberate, with an emphasis on integration and control.
“We’ve accelerated that,” Ashton said. “We want to control our own destiny.”
This shift reflects a growing willingness among brokers to diverge from vendor roadmaps when necessary. While platforms such as Salesforce remain foundational, firms are increasingly customizing and extending them to meet specific operational needs. The introduction of AI has further strengthened that position, acting as a catalyst for automation and decision support.
A recent example is the rollout of a property and casualty platform designed to centralize employee workflows. Built on Salesforce Financial Services Cloud, the system integrates policy management, lifecycle support, and client documentation into a single interface. “Employees can produce all the documents needed for a client at the click of a button,” Ashton said.
The implications are significant. By reducing the need to navigate multiple systems, the platform aims to improve productivity while enhancing the employee and client experience. It also demonstrates how brokers are moving beyond incremental improvements toward more comprehensive digital ecosystems.
Despite progress, the transformation has not been without obstacles. Data remains one of the most persistent challenges, particularly in an industry built on disparate systems and inconsistent formats. Integrating data across platforms requires not only technical solutions but also governance and standardization.
“It largely comes down to data,” Ashton said. “It’s the incompatibility of data from one system to another.”
This issue is not unique to Holmes Murphy. Across the insurance sector, firms continue to grapple with accessing, cleaning, and leveraging data effectively. Even as the industry becomes more data-intensive, the ability to translate that data into actionable insights remains uneven.
Equally important is the human dimension of transformation. Technology adoption often introduces significant change for employees, particularly those accustomed to long-standing processes. The company has placed a strong emphasis on managing that transition, recognizing that adoption depends as much on people as on systems.
“They go home on Friday one way, and come in Monday morning to something very different,” Ashton said.
To address this, the firm implemented a structured change management program, including training, feedback sessions, and ongoing support. The goal was to ensure that employees understood both the purpose of the transformation and the benefits it would deliver.
Another defining feature of the strategy has been its approach to partnerships. While established providers offer stability and scalability, newer entrants bring innovation and agility. Holmes Murphy has sought to balance both, leveraging large platforms while actively engaging with startups.
Companies like Salesforce provide “a great platform to integrate with and build upon,” Ashton said.
At the same time, the firm has invested in the startup ecosystem through its co-founding of BrokerTech Ventures. This company allows Holmes Murphy to access emerging technologies while helping shape their development. It also reflects a broader industry trend toward collaboration between incumbents and insurtech firms.
The risks associated with startups - particularly around security and longevity - are acknowledged but managed through rigorous standards. “You have to hold them to the same level of control around security, data access, and integration,” Ashton said.
Ensuring that transformation initiatives translate into operational change has required alignment across all levels of the organization. The strategy began with executive buy-in, reflecting the scale of investment involved. However, leadership support alone was not sufficient. “It’s the people at the keyboard who are impacted the most,” Ashton said.
To bridge that gap, the company combined top-down direction with bottom-up engagement. Employees were involved in defining requirements and shaping solutions, while a dedicated change management team oversaw implementation. The process included approximately 60 days of training and feedback, designed to ease the transition and refine the system.
The results have been broadly positive, with early benefits including improved efficiency, better data access, an improved employee experience, and enhanced client service. While Ashton acknowledges there was necessary refinement along the way, the overall trajectory points toward continued investment and iteration.
