Howden, Price Forbes, HDI Global, Lockton, Sompo: 17 APAC insurance people moves of the week
January 9 2026 by Roshan Nambiar
InsuranceAsia News wraps up the people moves from the insurance industry in Asia this week.
1. Howden continues Aon raid, appoints senior director for M&A in Asia
Howden has appointed Adrian Chai as its new senior director for M&A in Asia.
He will lead the W&I practice group across Asia and will also lead Southeast Asia M&A.
This marks the third move from Aon to Howden in recent months.
Read the full story here.
2. Price Forbes taps Gallagher’s CEO as head of reinsurance and wholesale for Singapore
Price Forbes has appointed Dick Heath as head of reinsurance and wholesale for Singapore.
Heath brings more than four decades of broking and underwriting experience, and joins the broker from Gallagher, where he was CEO for Asia.
Read the full story here.
3. HDI make double appointment in Asia
HDI Global has named Hiro Yamasaki as managing director and legal representative of its Japanese branch.
Yamasaki replaces Casey Sandler, who has been interim head of HDI’s Japanese branch since August, and is leaving HDI Global after more than a decade with the firm.
Kenneth Law also takes over as property underwriting manager ahead of the retirement of Eric Fung.
Read the full story here and here.
4. Lockton boosts cargo, marine team in Singapore with double move
Lockton has boosted its cargo and marine team in Singapore by appointing Li Lin Kea as head of cargo and logistics, regional transportation for Asia, and promoting Cindy Khoo to head of marine and offshore, regional transportation for Asia.
Kea will be responsible for formulating and implementing a growth strategy for the cargo and logistics business in the region and leading a centre of excellence team to support Lockton’s offices across Asia.
Khoo, meanwhile, will lead Lockton’s specialised hull and P&I teams based in Singapore, while also supporting offices across the region to drive the growth of the marine and offshore risks business
Read the full story here.
5. Sompo promotes international reinsurance CUO to APAC reinsurance president and global specialty CUO
Sompo has promoted Haixia Zhao to president of APAC reinsurance and chief underwriting officer for global specialty
Zurich-based Zhao had been Sompo’s chief underwriting officer for international reinsurance since March 2021.
Read the full story here.
6. Liberty Specialty Markets names head of energy, power and mining for Asia Pacific
Sara de Sampaio Soares (pictured) has been named as Liberty Specialty Markets head of energy, power and mining for Asia Pacific.
Soares will underwrite property damage and business interruption for energy – oil and gas and power, including renewables and mining businesses, from the Liberty Singapore office.
7. Labuan Re reappoints former CFO
Labuan Reinsurance has reappointed Yew Kong Kok as its chief financial officer.
Kok previously held the CFO position at Labuan Re between December 2018 and August 2021
Read the full story here.
8. Veteran Marsh president director becomes CEO of Marsh McLennan Indonesia
Marsh has promoted Jason Mandera to CEO of Marsh McLennan Indonesia.
Mandera, who is based in Jakarta, has been with Marsh for over 16 years and was promoted to president director of Marsh Indonesia in July, replacing Douglas Ure.
9. QBE promotes senior credit risk underwriter to head of trade finance solutions
Dean O’Connell (pictured) has been promoted to head of trade finance solutions at QBE Insurance.
Sydney-based O’Connell was previously a senior credit risk underwriter for finance solutions and contract surety.
Read the full story here.
10. McLarens names dual heads for Australian forensic accounting amid leadership succession
Jane Amling and Paul Sheehy have been appointed to joint leadership roles at McLarens as heads of forensic accounting for financial lines and business interruption, respectively, effective from April 1.
Both appointments coincide with the planned retirement of Martin Miller, head of forensic accounting.
11. Marsh make double appointment for Singapore team
Marsh has appointed Edward Baker as energy and power claims advocacy leader for Asia. He has been with Marsh in London for over four years and has relocated to the city-state for the role.
Ngoc Huong Linh Vu has been appointed as vice president for marine cargo and logistics. Vu most recently held the position of underwriter at HDI Global between January 2024 and September
Read the full story here and here.
12. AIG-backed Lloyd’s syndicate names PVT underwriter
Elythea Chew (pictured) has joined AIG-backed Lloyd’s syndicate Talbot Underwriting as a political violence and terrorism underwriter.
Singapore-based Chew had spent the last two years and four months as a property underwriter at Allied World.
13. Alliance Insurance Brokers names new CEO
Alliance Insurance Brokers has named Aatur Thakkar as its new CEO, succeeding father and founder, Shashikant Thakkar, who transitions to chairman.
Co-founder Aatur Thakkar, who has spent over 22 years at Alliance, has held the position of director since October 2005.
Read the full story here.
14. Philippines’ Nat Re promotes SVP and life reinsurance head to COO
The National Reinsurance Corporation of the Philippines (Nat Re) has promoted Jaime Jose Javier Jr. to executive vice president and COO.
Manila-based Javier will provide leadership to life and non-life underwriting units, administration, technology, finance, and project management.
Read the full story here.
15. Specialist Risk Group hires principal for facultative reinsurance Asia
UK-based broker Special Risk Group (SRG) has appointed Joanna Goh (pictured) as its new principal for facultative reinsurance in Asia.
Singapore-based Goh was most recently the lead for corporate risk services at Marsh.
16. Swiss Re CorSo Australia taps senior property underwriter from Allianz
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions Australia has hired Sean McCaffrey as a senior property underwriter.
Sydney-based McCaffrey previously worked at Allianz Australia for almost 15 years, most recently as a senior property underwriter.
17. Cowbell taps former AIG and Munich Re executive as underwriting head for Australia
US cyber MGA Cowbell has tapped former AIG and Munich Re executive Anthony Wall as its new head of underwriting in Australia.
Headquartered in the US, Cowbell is a specialist MGA focused on the cyber insurance market, with capacity provided by Zurich Insurance Group.
Other moves you may have missed
AIG has promoted Arlan Bolado to multinational regional service delivery manager for Asia Pacific. Kuala Lumpur-based Bolado has been with AIG for more than 22 years, most recently as head of AIG’s APAC issuing office for multinational accounts since February 2019.
Canopius has tapped Tesh Patel as its new head of distribution for Australia and New Zealand. Canopius said that Patel would lead the UK specialty (re)insurer’s distribution strategy in Australia and New Zealand, managing relationships with business partners, expanding its market presence and delivering solutions to clients.
Facultative reinsurance MGA Pinnacle Underwriting has promoted Benjamin Mogford to head of property for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). Melbourne-based Mogford was most recently deputy head of property and energy underwriting for ANZ.
Ryan Transactional Risk promoted Christine Nguyen to underwriter. She has nearly a decade of experience in insurance broking roles, having spent over six years with Marsh.
Lukas Gallus was appointed as co-head of Asia growth at Resolution Life. Gallus has been with Resolution Life since July 2022, when he joined from Swiss Re’s structured solutions team in Hong Kong.
Rainmaker Group-owned MGA XS Global has continued to expand its Asia platform with the appointment of Mun Ching Shing as regional accident and health (A&H) underwriting manager, Mun joins from AIG, having spent the last four years as head of underwriting and product for A&H.
For more InsuranceAsia News (IAN) people moves at brokers, insurers, reinsurers, insurtechs, specialty players, MGAs and loss adjusters across Asia Pacific’s fast-growing (re)insurance markets click here.
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Helvetia, BHSI, Sedgwick, QBE, Sompo, Allianz Commercial, Dual, Coface, Berkley Insurance Asia, Markel and bolttech also made personnel changes over the last week.
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Arch Insurance Australia, Chubb and China Re also made personnel changes over the last week.
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Berkley Re Asia, Charles Taylor, Eclipse, Axa XL, HDI and Marsh also made personnel changes over the last week.
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