“The best fintech leaders are not just technologists,” Marcus Wollny notes, “they translate between business requirements and technological possibilities.” He is a board member for Operations and IT at DOMCURA AG, a leading MGA focused on property insurance.
Some careers begin with well-drawn maps. Others are carved in untrodden pathways. Marcus’s story belongs to the latter.
At the intersection of technology and insurance, his journey into the fintech world began. Despite its deep traditions, the insurance sector holds tremendous potential for transformation through data-driven processes and automation. Marcus detected that at a very early stage. Instead of relying on guarantees, he chose to act on instinct. This ossified field was on the brink of a sweeping transformation. Thus, the rising groundswell was absolute. It was a move that raised eyebrows at the time but would later prove prescient.
Over the course of more than a decade, Marcus has held leadership positions in IT and operations, particularly at Deutsche Familienversicherung. His role was no corporate placeholder. It has been a game-changer in transforming the company into an insurtech and supporting its IPO. What he brought to the table is unique—a combination of strategic planning, operational execution, and organizational change. Needless to say, it has done wonders.
Together, they’ve equipped Marcus to lead operational and digital transformation at DOMCURA. What’s his métier? A clear vision and proven methods.
The AI-Driven Innovative Knack!
Recently recognized as one of the ‘5 Most Visionary Fintech Leaders to Follow in 2025,’ Marcus stands in front of a digital dashboard, with streams of data reflecting real-time operations across DOMCURA. To most, it’s numbers and diagrams. But to him, it’s the pulse of innovation. He drives the adoption of AI-powered process orchestration and cloud-based systems. Automation is not being done just for trend’s sake. The goal is to develop faster, smarter, and more customer-centric insurance solutions. This relentless ingenuity is exactly why industry peers view him as a leader shaping the future of fintech.
Leading With A Vision
“Visionary leadership doesn’t mean chasing every new technology—it means choosing the right innovations that solve real problems and create sustainable value.” This staunch belief has catapulted this techno-savant to the status of a pioneer.
It is his unique concept of understanding how technologies will fundamentally change customer expectations, business models, and risk landscapes. For Marcus, connecting innovation with a clear purpose is the essence of visionary leadership. Creating solutions that improve efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility are the main focus areas here. Nevertheless, all these movesets should be executed while strengthening resilience within the company.
Automation That Shook the System
Among numerous technological shifts at DOMCURA, one that stands out for Marcus is the introduction of an AI-powered platform to handle small and medium-sized claims queues. The elimination of a substantial backlog in claims processing has been a major choke point faced by the entire industry. With the introduction of a fully automated system, a sweeping change was ignited in a short time. Besides, it also alleviated the burden on their employees.
Additionally, at DOMCURA, they transitioned core systems to a cloud-native architecture, providing greater scalability, security, and agility. These steps not only increased efficiency but also freed our teams from repetitive tasks, giving them more time for value-adding activities.
The Smart Path to Agile Compliance
“True efficiency arises,” Marcus explains, “when technology handles routine tasks, freeing people for meaningful activities.” Balancing innovation with regulatory compliance in a field that demands both agility and precision is easier said than done. At DOMCURA, their approach is what we call proactive by design.
Marcus reveals that they do not wait for problems to knock on the door. It is achieved from the very start. Compliance is integrated into the innovation process. During the conceptual phase of new systems, they work closely with DOMCURA’s legal and risk management teams. Such preemptive oversight ensures that every technological innovation meets both operational requirements and regulatory standards. Thanks to modular API-based architectures, Marcus points out, they can respond quickly without compromising control mechanisms, audit trails, or data protection.
From Analytics to Action – A Typical Day in Motion
As a board member for Operations and IT at DOMCURA, no two days are the same for Marcus. His days start by analyzing dashboards that track real-time performance. Next on the list is usually meeting with operational leaders to address weaknesses and explore potential solutions. He is an employee-centric leader. At the heart of his every decision, he puts people.
While board meetings and department check-ins are his KRA must-haves, Marcus never loses touch with the ground. He actively engages with employees, drawing insights from their feedback and suggestions. The industry veteran believes that the best ideas for transformative change emerge when one steps back to see the bigger picture. To him, striking a balance between staying strategic and diving into the details is what makes the leadership effective.
Converting Resistance to Buy-In: The AI Culture Shift
For Marcus, a major professional challenge was the required cultural shift for the introduction of AI into the claims management process. It was the need of the hour, not a fad. Many of his colleagues were accustomed to manual techniques. The reason was steep. Accepting something radically different was met with skepticism. What was the solution? To address this, Marcus shares that they involved employees early in the development process, ran pilot projects, and transparently demonstrated how automation reduces monotonous tasks without replacing human expertise. He adds that acceptance increased significantly once the benefits became evident in daily work, emphasizing that for DOMCURA, it was always crucial to keep people at the center, with technology there to support them.
Collaboration as the New Core Code
Digital integration is just one part of the entire restructuring equation. The next one is fostering collaboration between IT and other departments to ensure seamless digital adoption across the organization. To this, Marcus responds, “Our principle is co-creation.”
Instead of operating in isolation, IT adopts a collective approach. Teaming up with operations, sales, and the claims department, they jointly identify opportunities for optimization and develop practical solutions.
Regular cross-departmental workshops, open communication, and shared KPIs are the glue that holds transformation together. They ensure that technology projects deliver real business value and gain broad support. For Marcus, their employees mustn’t be bystanders. However, he wants them to be active contributors to digital transformation. He firmly believes that this is the only way to achieve genuine acceptance and sustainable change.
The Proudest Achievement at DOMCURA
When asked about an achievement that makes his heart swell with pride, Marcus didn’t have a second thought. He is quick to point at the AI-based process orchestration system. The explanation is pretty delightful. It has positioned DOMCURA as an innovative leader in the MGA market, enhancing both its performance and reputation with partners and customers alike.
Always in Beta
To stay ahead of emerging trends in fintech, Marcus maintains an active network. This process encompasses regular exchanges with the Technical University of Munich, specifically with Professor Alois C. Knoll, who heads the Chair of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and Real-Time Systems and Thomas Lipinski CEO and Founder of Alternus GmbH who has been a long-time mentor to him. At the same time, Marcus keeps himself up to date by attending industry conferences. Operationally, testing new technologies is a continuous trial run. It is to determine whether they can help DOMCURA address its challenges.
The Real Meaning of ‘Go Green’
Sustainability is now a hype. Many follow it for branding points, while some parade it superficially. Only a few progressive thinkers can operationalize it. And one of those few is Marcus. It is not just about environmental aspects for Maucus. He considers sustainability an element of creating systems that are efficient, transparent, and generate long-term value.
DOMCURA highly relies on energy-efficient cloud services, reduces paper consumption through digital processes, and develops AI systems that ensure fairness and data protection. It leaves no stone unturned to be substantive. “Digital transformation succeeds,” Marcus comprehends, “when it is developed with the people who use it—not just for them.” Ultimately, innovation must always support people!
The Adventure He Never Splits in Two
“My life is one wonderful adventure,” Marcus conveys in an amicable tone. Work-life balance? He did not subscribe to it. Yes, splitting his life into two parts felt wrong to him. So, he chose integration over separation instead. Marcus feels grateful to his wife for her rock-solid support in every way. He shares how she accompanies him to every professional station. Whether it’s his hectic job schedule or his passion for playing the guitar, Marcus draws the strength to think about entirely new solutions for the financial industry and implement them consistently.
Advising the Generation Next to Imagine, Then Execute
Leadership is more than just managing one single group. A leader sets clarity, unites teams, and constructs the scaffold for success. For aspiring fintech professionals who wish to lead in both operations and technology, Marcus recommends, “Learn to speak both languages.”
Understanding the technical details is essential. So is mastering operational strategy and financial fundamentals. He also reminds these aspirants of one undeniable fact. Leadership in fintech is as much about empathy and communication as it is about programming or data analysis. This business trailblazer urges these budding leaders, “Think bigger, because technology is not the limit. It’s imagination and the will to execute.”
A Thoughtful Legacy
Some leaders chase outcomes. Marcus builds environments. For him, legacy is not about position or profits. It’s regarding what lasts and what people choose to carry forward. “Ethical innovation means creating technologies that people can trust, and for which future generations will be grateful.” Adhering to this mantra, Marcus hopes to leave something wholesome. An inheritance to remember. That will help in shaping smarter, more resilient digital ecosystems. Tech spaces that are equally efficient, profitable, adaptable, ethical, and customer-centric. His purpose is to inspire a new generation of leaders who see technology not as an end in itself but as a means to sustainable value creation.
