Axel Schell, CTO Area 1, Allianz Technology SE
Axel Schell is fostering on agile mindset at Allianz and transforms the internal IT entity into a powerful customer centric tech company. He joined the Executive Managemernt Team of Allianz Technology , the IT company of the Allianz group, as the Chief Technology and Transformation Office in January 2021.
His mission and passion to transform (simplify) the IT landscape and the ways of working was rewarded with the “CIO of the Year 2021″award by the German Speakingh CIO Magazine and the “European Digital Leader of the Year 2023” by CIONET.
He started this transformation journey already in his previous role as CTO of Allianz Deutschland AG where he led one of the biggest IT transfer programs of the company: The approach was to move all the IT units – 900 people – from Allianz Germany to Allianz Technology, applications and assets included in order to bring all IT-experts to one table. Having the people in one company, the focus now is speeding up the harmonization and modernization of the entire (historic) IT landscape of Allianz which means: 100% cloud and SaaS and the decomissioning of outdated system – as agile as possible with an empowered workforce.
Prior to this, Axel spent three years overseas as the CEO & President of Allianz Technology of America and some more years as Head of B2B2C at Allianz Technology’s predecessor Allainz Managed Operations & Services SE. Since his start at Allianz in 2002 he has demonstrated not just a specialist knowledge on IT management but also a distinct feeling for the needs of the business. He is a techie with knowledge for economy and vice versa: Axel completed his studies in Business Admistration and obtained a doctoral degree in Informations Systems from the University of Augsburg.
He is fluent in German, English, and French. Axel is married and has two children. In his freetime he enjoys spending time with his family on a tennis court, coding (currently coffee machine) and watching American basketball.
