On this episode of Scouting For Growth, Sabine VdL speaks with Emmanuel Djengue — a tech-driven, user-first innovator who embodies the kind of curiosity, collaboration, and strategic thinking the insurance industry needs more of right now. This is a conversation about more than technology. It’s about the real growth engine in a transforming world: people. As the workforce shifts through reskilling, upskilling, and cross-market talent movement, Emmanuel shares how leaders can turn ambition into impact — by building teams that innovate with purpose, not just speed. Insurance is essential… but nobody wants to buy it Emmanuel starts with an uncomfortable truth: insurance is not something people wake up excited to purchase. Yet it’s fundamental to society — especially life and health insurance. That’s why the industry’s job isn’t just to offer coverage. It’s to make protection: simple attractive and delivered at the right time Because if customers don’t understand the value, adoption won’t follow. Behaviour + design = better insurance experiences Emmanuel has studied how people think and what motivates action. He believes that if insurers bring behavioural understanding into innovation, they can improve how customers interact with insurance — and how they take care of themselves in the process. In health, that matters massively: better engagement can lead to better outcomes, not just better policies. The 3 InsurTech archetypes (and why most get it wrong) One of the most practical frameworks Emmanuel shares is his view of the InsurTech landscape: Integrators — solutions designed to plug into what insurers already do Disruptors — aiming to rebuild the system end-to-end (requires serious capital) Collaborators — working with insurers to improve what exists His warning is sharp: too many startups show up wanting to be “disruptors,” but only a tiny number can actually win that game. In insurance, as Emmanuel puts it: David isn’t beating Goliath. So the real opportunity is partnership — and both sides want it. The true differentiator: talent Emmanuel’s biggest insight for enterprise leaders is one many overlook: The difference between a great insurer and an average one isn’t only the product or operational efficiency — it’s the people behind it. And the biggest business problem almost everyone shares? unsuccessful hiring. If you want more innovation, more execution, and better outcomes, start by building teams that can deliver change — then invest in developing them through reskilling and upskilling as the market shifts. A global lens: innovation beyond the usual hotspots Emmanuel highlights regions leaders should watch, including South Africa, which he describes as one of the most innovative markets in life and health insurance — with startups doing meaningful work at speed. Why this episode matters For enterprise executives and founders, this episode is a reminder that transformation won’t be won by tools alone. It will be won by leaders who can: design for real human behaviour partner intelligently across ecosystems and build teams that evolve as fast as the world does Because the future of insurance isn’t just digital. It’s human — by design.