Vinay Handa FCCA

Vinay Handa is no stranger to transformation. With a background that spans corporate finance and systems-led change, he’s now leading automation and innovation at The AA. His journey reflects a rare blend of technical capability and human insight, anchored by a DJ’s instinct for reading the room.

From numbers to nuance

Vinay’s love of numbers started early: “I fell into finance purely for the love of maths.” But his route through the profession has been anything but standard. After climbing the corporate ladder, from accountant to group FC, he shifted his focus to systems and transformation roles eight years ago. It’s here that he found his sweet spot: blending finance knowledge with technology to drive smarter, faster decision-making.

"A lot of companies want to invest in technology, but the questions are always: where do we start, how do we do it, and what happens next?"

Leading change at LV=

At LV=, Vinay led the finance work-stream on a multiyear transformation project across personal lines insurance. That meant integrating policy admin data into Oracle, refining reporting, and aligning teams around a shared data strategy.

Working across actuarial, reinsurance, claims, and product, Vinay helped bridge departmental silos with a focus on trust, collaboration, and communication.

"We only got to where we are because every department was on board. It was about people first, technology second."

Adaptability is non-negotiable

Vinay knows change isn’t always welcome. But he believes resistance often comes from past frustrations, not unwillingness. His approach? Focus on the human impact, listen carefully, and communicate clearly: "We’ve all heard the promises before. So don’t just sell the change—show it. Build buy-in with empathy and results."

He sees adaptability as the key differentiator in today’s finance world. “Technology will keep changing. Our role is to make sure people don’t get left behind.”

What leadership looks like

Empathy and empowerment define Vinay’s leadership style. He draws on both good and bad experiences to shape how he leads teams, favouring open dialogue, trust, and support over command-and-control.

He’s also pragmatic: “Things won’t always go to plan. You’ve got to prioritise, regroup, and keep moving. If you can’t hit 100%, aim for 90%.”

Beyond the 9–5: Vinyl, decks, and decades of rhythm

When he’s not driving finance change, Vinay is spinning decks. A DJ for over 30 years, he finds creativity and calm in music. His vinyl collection is vast, and he still prefers the tactile skill of manual mixing over digital shortcuts.

"With vinyl, there’s no sync button. You learn rhythm, timing, instinct. It’s a lot like leading transformation."