The future of augmenting protection with prevention can be distilled through three pillars: First, by creating awareness of current risk levels Second, by suggesting a change in behaviour And third, by offering incentives for changes in behaviour The first two pillars are closely linked and is typically in the form of real-time risk mitigation as well as early warning systems. For instance, prevention triggers such as missed safety task notifications and water leakage alerts to activate emergency repair services can help prevent accidents. Telematics can also connect insurers and farmers to data from weather systems for potential safety warnings. However, raising awareness of risky behaviour and how to address them are not enough. It is also fundamental to encourage people to instigate real and sustainable changes in behaviour. Jonas Salk, one of the first successful medical researchers to develop polio vaccines once said that "the reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more". Insurers and takaful operators can leverage consumers' perception of the value of rewards by nudging them to adopt safer and healthier behaviours. Elements of  4/6  BIS - Central bankers' speeches  gamification and behavioural economics can also be integrated – for example, a driving score leader board can motivate drivers to collect higher scores by adopting safer driving behaviours. We recognise that many of these successful models require tie ups and expertise beyond traditional business lines. To cater to these new digital realities, the Bank has been proactive in ensuring our regulations are adapted regularly.
However, a key challenge observed was that workers became siloed in their various specialties, thus impeding collective innovation goals. Michael Tushman, a Harvard Business School professor known for his work on organisation design, was an early researcher into efforts to overcome this challenge. From there, he coined the term 'boundary spanners' 3 – individual connectors with the ability to bridge information from different verticals of an organisation to unlock innovation value. Since 1958, the boundary spanning role has been popular throughout academic research into innovation systems. With hindsight, we know that period ended up as the golden age of capitalism, marked by greater organisational efficiency, specialised production and trade expansion. It is intriguing to find insurance at a similar crossroad today. Consumer activity is becoming entrenched in digital ecosystems. Critical sources of information which were previously unconnected are becoming more connected. This has the potential to not only deepen protection, but also mitigate long-held issues in insurance like moral hazard and adverse selection. 1/6  BIS - Central bankers' speeches  While the pandemic presented numerous challenges, it underscored the value of financial security in times of stress. This has generated greater consumer and business appreciation for protection solutions. Like the past, there are immense opportunities emerging across ecosystem verticals, merely awaiting a connecting agent to unlock them. I believe the insurance and takaful industry is uniquely positioned to act as boundary spanners that can pave the direction for innovation, break down traditional barriers, and influence positive consumer behaviours.