Vice President, Group Distribution

FWD Group spans Hong Kong & Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Japan, offering life and medical insurance, general insurance and employee benefits across a number of its markets.

FWD is focused on creating fresh customer experiences, with easy-to-understand products, supported by digital technology. Through this customer-led approach, FWD aims to become a leading pan-Asian insurer that changes the way people feel about insurance.

Established in Asia in 2013, FWD is the insurance business of investment group, Pacific Century Group. For more information please visit WWW.FWD.COM

PURPOSE
- Drive the FWD’s on the overall strategic initiatives of Distribution across business units in order to ensure current and long-term profitability and growth.
- Develop a forward-looking & aligned, group-wide distribution strategy across all FWD business units;
- Evaluate the distribution, financial and strategic objectives for all countries and analyze the local business performance, risk and competitive environment
- Provide thought leadership and guidance that enables every FWD Country to ”change the way people feel about insurance”, profitably whilst optimizing value through superior productivity, broad reach and innovative solutions, seamlessly supported by intuitive technology & operational excellence

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
- Evaluate and provide recommendations to the distribution financial and strategic objectives for all countries and analyze the local business performance, risk and competitive environment for Group Distribution oversight, direction setting and decision making
- Report to GO Management and provide business commentary, analysis and insights to Group Channel Heads to ensure all partner channels and customer segments are being maximized to drive customer acquisition, customer engagement and Advisor productivity and to deliver long term sustainable results.
- Preparation of Board and GO Management papers, facilitating collection and appropriate presentation of key messages to MD including industry and competitor information, business strategy, growth plans and forecasts
- Drive data and digitization initiatives in line with Company strategy and ensure the analytics expertise, data insights and digital tools are maximized for enhancing sales productivity, efficiency, customer acquisition and cross-sell / up-sell
- Deep dive into Emerging Market Countries and work cross functionally across Group Office and Countries to drive sales delivery, VNB targets and other business aspirations and Polaris KPIs
- Lead transformation and M&A integration initiatives across the Emerging Markets countries (eg Capricorn) to optimize resource and cost efficiencies and deliver the business case

QUALIFICATIONS / EXPERIENCE
- Professional qualification in Actuarial Science or related discipline
- Considerable experience (15 years) working in and/or for a listed company (preferably in Hong Kong or Singapore) - knowledgeable in driving financial calendar communication needs
- Demonstrable evidence of developing and delivering plans, both internal and external, which build profile and influence
- Significant experience of leading BU distribution teams, channel management of business functions of similar size and complexity, preferably in multiple Asian countries in a fast-moving environment, with constructive working relationships relevant stakeholders.

KNOWLEDGE & TECHNICAL SKILLS
- Strong relationship management skills including working well with peers, juniors, customers and senior management
- Strategic orientation with keen customer focus
- Excellent quantitative skills and familiarity with insurance digitization products and processes
- Demonstrated capabilities in dealing with different people from different cultures
- Good knowledge of Insurance business and insurance market in Asia
- The individual must have strong PowerPoint skills
- Knowledge of business plans and operating models. Strong financial services market knowledge, with particular emphasis on financial management, sales, distribution management and proposition design.
- Wide knowledge of industry issues including economic and regulatory influences.
- Strong analytical capabilities and aptitude to distil and interpret key facts and actions required