CTO Chats with Balaji Jayavelu, CTO of Milvik BIMA

Please tell us about yourself and your role.

I’m currently the Chief Technology Officer at Milvik BIMA, and I’ve been with the company since the very beginning—it’s been about 15 years now. I joined back in 2010 as one of the founding engineers, right when the company was getting started. Over the years, I’ve helped build out our tech function from the ground up—setting up teams, designing systems, and scaling our technology to support our growth and mission. Before Milvik BIMA, I worked as a software developer across different industries. I started my career at a company called Torry Harris in India, which was a service-based firm. Through them, I got the chance to work at J.P. Morgan in New Jersey, and later on, I moved into the automotive space, working with companies like Toyota and Mercedes-Benz. I eventually moved back into fintech with the Raiffeisen Group in Europe, and also spent some time at Boehringer Ingelheim, which is in the pharmaceutical space, working as a software architect. My journey with Milvik BIMA started when I met our CEO, Gustaf. He had this powerful vision of making microinsurance and healthcare accessible to people in emerging markets. That really struck a chord with me. By that point, I had around eight years of experience in the tech industry, and I was looking for a way to use my skills to create real, positive impact. So when I heard about what Gustaf was trying to build, it just felt like the right fit. Since then, we’ve been focused on building tech-driven solutions that make insurance and healthcare truly inclusive—affordable, high-quality, and accessible to everyone, no matter where they are or what their income level is. Technology plays a huge role in making that possible. I now lead our tech team out of Bangalore, and together we’re constantly working to innovate and support our teams across the globe in delivering these essential services.

IT landscape evolves rapidly. What challenges are you currently facing, and how are you addressing them?

Yeah, the pace of change in tech has been incredible—especially over the last couple of years with AI really taking off. Just two or three years ago, when we thought about solving problems, our focus was more on building traditional systems—like helping doctors view and manage patient reports more efficiently, or improving how customers access their health records. But with AI becoming more accessible and powerful, the entire ecosystem has shifted, and the expectations have gone up, both from customers and internally within the company. Now, when I talk to our SMT, our shareholders, or even my team, the conversation always includes AI. Everyone wants to know—what can we do with it? How can we use it to solve real problems, not just as a trend, but in a way that genuinely improves people’s lives? One of the challenges we’ve been working on is around fraud detection in insurance claims. We deal with a lot of claims, and filtering out the fraudulent ones has always been tough. But now we’re using AI-based document verification tools that can analyse submitted documents and flag inconsistencies—like fake hospital names or tampered images. This improves the ability to catch fraudulent claims early and significantly reduced our turnaround time for processing claims. On the healthcare side, we’re working on something I’m really excited about—a tool we’re calling Doctor Copilot. It’s an AI-driven assistant designed to help our doctors quickly understand a patient’s medical history before a consultation. Right now, a doctor might have to spend 20-30 minutes digging through a year’s worth of reports, lab tests, and notes. With Doctor Copilot, they’ll get a summarised, structured view of the patient’s history—like the number of visits for a recurring issue, past medications, and any patterns that stand out. We’re not fully there yet, but we’re getting close. The idea is to help doctors make faster, more accurate diagnoses and ultimately provide better care. It’s a complex challenge, but AI is helping us get much closer to the kind of personalised, efficient healthcare we want to deliver. So overall, the challenge has been staying ahead of the curve while making sure we’re using these new tools in a meaningful way. My team in Bangalore is working hard on this, and we’re excited about what’s coming next.

How do you think the IT sector will evolve in the next 3–5 years? What major shifts are on the horizon?

Since I work in insurance and healthcare at Milvik BIMA, my view of the future is really shaped by what we’re seeing in those areas. And honestly, there’s a lot changing—fast. For us, the big focus is creating a more connected and seamless experience for our customers. We’re not just thinking about one product at a time anymore. Instead, we’re looking at how we can support someone and their family through every stage—life insurance, health insurance, telehealth, hospital cash, medicine delivery—you name it. The idea is simple: when someone reaches out to us, whether it’s through a call, an app, or even WhatsApp, we want to be able to say, “Here’s everything we can do for you.” And make it easy for them to access all of it, in one place, without any hassle. Tech-wise, one of the biggest changes we’re seeing is how AI is transforming customer interactions. Just a couple of years ago, we had call center agents handling all our customer queries. Now we’ve launched an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot, and it’s doing an amazing job—answering questions like “How do I pay my premium?” or “What’s covered in my plan?” or even “Can I talk to a doctor?” The cool part is, most customers don’t even realize they’re chatting with a bot. It’s that natural. In the next few years, we want to take that kind of experience to all our markets, so no matter where someone is, they get the same high-quality, 24/7 support—on the platform they’re most comfortable with. So overall, I think IT is moving toward more intelligent, more personalised, and more customer-friendly solutions. It’s not just about having the latest tech—it’s about using it in ways that make people’s lives easier. That’s what we’re focused on at Milvik BIMA, and I’m really excited about where it’s headed.

How do you balance the need for innovation with the demand for stability and security in your IT systems?

That’s a really important balance to strike—and one we’re constantly thinking about. For me, innovation happens in two ways. One is tech-driven—where we come across a problem and realize there’s no ready-made solution, so we end up creating something new. The other is customer-driven—where our users push us to innovate because they need something better or different. And honestly, I believe the most meaningful innovations come from listening to our customers. They’re the ones who really show us where the gaps are. So at Milvik BIMA, we don’t go into a project saying, “Let’s innovate just for the sake of it.” Instead, we focus on solving real problems in the smartest way possible. Sometimes that means building something completely new. Sometimes it’s about improving an existing system so it’s faster, more cost-effective, or more scalable. Either way, the goal is to deliver real value—both for our users and for the business. Now, on the other side of that coin is stability and security—and for us, that’s non- negotiable. Especially in healthcare and insurance, where we’re dealing with sensitive personal data, security has to come first. Every time we design or build something, we ask: “Is this secure?” “Who can access this data?” “Is there a chance someone who shouldn’t see this could get in?” Those checks are just part of our mindset. Even internally, we’re strict about access. Our engineers don’t have visibility into customer health data—only doctors can access it, and only with explicit consent from the customer. That’s the level of care we take when it comes to privacy and compliance. So in short, we balance innovation with stability by always solving real problems first— and building with a strong foundation of security and trust. That’s how we ensure we’re not just moving fast, but also doing things the right way.

How do you approach mentoring and developing the next generation of leaders within your IT team?

For me, it all starts with ownership and listening. I genuinely believe that one of the most important qualities in a leader—especially in tech—is the ability to listen. And not just listen to your team, but also to your business partners, to your users, to what’s not being said. That’s something I try to model myself and also encourage in the people I work with. Often in tech, we tend to think in binary—yes/no, possible/impossible. So when engineers talk to the business, the first instinct is sometimes to say, “That’s not feasible,” or “That’ll take too long.” But what I try to bring into the culture is: don’t react right away. First, just listen. Understand what the real problem is. Don’t look at it only as a tech requirement—see it as a real-world issue someone is facing, and think about how we can help solve it. Another big part of my approach is empathy. Whether we’re working under pressure or facing tight deadlines, empathy and respect within the team are key. It’s not just about delivery—it’s about how we get there together. You can’t expect great outcomes from a team that’s constantly in conflict or disconnected. A healthy, supportive environment is critical, and that comes from clear communication and mutual respect. I also put a lot of focus on building long-term relationships in the team. Many of our engineers have been with us for 8, 10, even 12 years. Some joined as freshers straight out of college and have grown into senior roles. That kind of continuity happens when people feel heard, valued, and given space to grow—not just technically, but also as collaborators and future leaders. Even during the pandemic, when we were working remotely for over two years, the level of trust and understanding within the team kept productivity strong. People knew each other well, understood each other’s working styles, and stayed aligned, even without constant face time. So overall, my approach to mentoring is a mix of leading by example, encouraging empathy, creating psychological safety, and focusing on the bigger picture—not just the tech, but the people behind it. That’s what really builds the next generation of leaders.

It doesn’t matter which sector or market you’re in—healthy communication is always key.

We are operating in six different countries outside of Singapore (our HQ) and India (our tech hub in Bangalore). That includes markets across Africa and Asia—like Ghana, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. And with that kind of global footprint, we’re working with people from incredibly diverse cultural backgrounds every single day. Our leadership team alone is a great example—we have leaders from Serbia, China; I’m from India, and our CEO is from Sweden. So it’s truly a global team. And when you work with such diversity, communication isn’t just about being clear—it’s about being thoughtful, respectful, and culturally aware. Over the years, I’ve learned how much tone and word choice matter. The same sentence can land very differently depending on who you’re talking to and where they’re from. I’ve learned to adjust how I communicate so I can connect more effectively— whether it’s with someone from Japan, Australia, or East Africa. It’s about understanding where people are coming from and what matters to them—whether it’s healthcare, family, education, or community. That understanding has been a big advantage for me personally, but it’s also something I actively try to pass on to my team. Because communication isn’t just a soft skill—it’s critical to how we build trust, collaborate across borders, and keep everyone moving in the same direction. So yeah, no matter the sector or geography, healthy communication is at the heart of everything. It holds the whole system together.

Reflecting on your experience with knowledge-sharing discussions, what’s been the most memorable insight or takeaway you’ve applied in your work?

Honestly, I think conversations like this—whether it’s through professional networks, meetups, or conferences—are incredibly valuable. Every time I attend one, I walk away with something new. One thing I really appreciate about events like the ones hosted by Ortus Club is that they bring together leaders from such a wide range of industries. You’re not just talking to people from your own space—you’re hearing from folks in automotive, telecom, healthcare, insurance, and more. One meetup that really stuck with me was in 2023, here in Bangalore. It was a great mix of technology leaders, and the conversation naturally went beyond just tech—we talked about people, teams, and culture. One leader shared how their company had a very structured approach to nurturing talent. They didn’t just hire experienced engineers or only focus on top-tier schools. Instead, they had a well-defined plan to train new hires, help them grow, and chart a clear path for their career progression. That really hit home for me. As tech leaders, we often focus so much on building platforms and delivering business value that we sometimes overlook our responsibility to grow the people behind the code. That discussion reminded me that leadership isn’t just about building systems—it’s about building careers. So one of the key takeaways I’ve applied since then is being more intentional about career paths in my own team—making sure we’re not just pushing deadlines, but also helping people develop, learn, and move forward in their journey. That insight stuck with me because it’s something every leader should prioritise, no matter the industry.

Since you’ve mentioned your Ortus experience, what advice would you give to someone attending an Ortus Club event for the first time to get the most value out of it?

If you’re attending an Ortus event for the first time, my biggest advice would be—go in with an open mind. These events are all about conversations, and there’s so much value in just listening and engaging with people from different industries and backgrounds. It’s not just a panel discussion or a lecture—it’s a room full of experienced professionals who are genuinely there to share, learn, and connect. I remember attending an Ortus meetup in Bangalore where the energy in the room was so positive. Everyone was sharing stories from their own experiences, diving deep into real challenges, and offering practical insights. You don’t often get that kind of honest, open exchange—especially in person, with such a diverse and talented group. So, I’d say: don’t hold back. Share your own experiences, ask questions, and be curious. It’s a fantastic chance to grow your professional network, learn how others are solving similar problems, and walk away with a few new ideas to try out in your own work. And most importantly—enjoy the conversations. That’s where the real value is.