With fierce competition from some 400 nominations in the 4th Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards, Wave Chow, Senior District Director from AIA International, Hong Kong, not only emerged as a finalist in one category, he was recognised as amongst the best in the region in two categories - Insurance Agency Leader of the Year and Inspirational Agency Leader of the Year.
Double the honour
“I am truly honoured to be selected as a finalist for the Awards. It is an even greater privilege to be recognised as amongst the best in Asia in two categories. I am very thankful to the judging panel, which has shown so much trust and faith in me,” he said.
Elaborating, he said the prestige of the Awards comes from the esteemed judging panel and the independently-audited judging process. He also highlighted the fact that it doesn’t only value the sales performance of agents and advisers but also the quality of service, professionalism and how much one gives back to the industry and society. “This is a brand new practice compared to other Asian or international awards. It will help motivate all the agents and advisers in Asia to strive to give their best service and raise their professionalism.”
A shining light in the industry
As part of his efforts to raise the image and professionalise the industry, he has focused on recruiting high-quality young talent. The average age of his team is 30, 96% of them possess a bachelor’s degree, and 70% possess a postgraduate degree. Wave himself holds 14 professional qualifications as part of his continuous efforts to improve himself.
As a leader who has groomed his team with over 144 members achieving MDRT and above, he continues to lead by example as an MDRT Honor Roll and Life member.
His success is apparent to all in the industry. He is a sought-after speaker at industry events and his first book “Riding the Wave – The Key to Building a 100% MDRT Team” is in its seventh edition and has become one of the bestselling books published in Hong Kong as he shares his strategies to help and inspire fellow leaders in the industry.
Greatest satisfaction
Despite the accolades he has received, his greatest satisfaction does not come from personal achievements.
“My greatest satisfaction comes from turning my teammates’ failure into success. It is very satisfying to help them achieve their life goals and dreams by leading them to where they aspire and desire and where they never thought possible,” he said.
He added that everyone has a different definition of being successful. But from his viewpoint, “success” should not be limited to achieving a high level of qualification, wealth, or social status.
Especially in this industry, a successful financial planner is one who behaves with integrity at all times and also displays the five Ps as follows:
- Persistence
- Passion
- Professionalism
- Performance
- Pride
Success comes from helping others
In the financial services industry, success can only be attained by helping others.
“Hence, our mission is to create an ideal platform for both our clients and our teammates. On the one hand, we protect clients from possible financial loss by managing their risks. This can help reduce inequality in our society and thus help make the world a better place.
“On the other hand, we give opportunities to talented people who are looking for an ideal career path. Not only can they feel that joining our team is like coming home, but they can also learn to be successful in the financial field,” he said.
UTOPIA
On what differentiates him, he believes that it is not his efforts as an agency leader alone but his team as a whole.
“Our vision is ‘To be UTOPIA’. That is to create an ideal platform for both our clients and our teammates. My little secret is that instead of thinking how to get maximum benefits and immediate results, to think the other way around and ask questions such as, ‘What kinds of services are clients looking for?’ and ‘How do we develop a system that caters to the needs of the agents?’,” he said.
Only then will the team achieve highly sustainable success with great levels of satisfaction among clients for a true win-win.
Winners of the 4th Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards will only be announced at the gala dinner on 18 July 2019 in Bangkok. For more information on the Awards, visit https://www.asiaadvisersnetwork.com/Awards/2019