Manulife Tower officially opened yesterday, signifying Manulife's commitment to Singapore and the region, and setting a benchmark for the organisation globally, said President & CEO Roy Gori.
“This is an important milestone for our organisation. Not just here in Singapore or Asia, but globally. This is the second largest property acquisition that we have ever made and it is something that we are indeed incredibly proud of.
“It demonstrates the size and the scale of our business in Singapore. In particular over the last four or five years, through the help of our fantastic partnership with DBS and the great work that we’ve done with our MFA (Manulife FA) channel and our agency, we have built a phenomenal business. We have gone from being only 2% of new sales in this marketplace to more than 18% of the market. That’s an incredible achievement and it has come through an incredible amount of hard work from everyone involved. Organisationally, we look at what we’ve achieved here as a great case study for our other markets,” he said.
The building has also established a milestone for what it aspires to be as a company. Manulife’s aspiration is to make its customers’ lives better and to help to make their decisions easier, “a mission that is easily said but it’s very hard to achieve”.
He added, “Quite frankly, in an industry that has largely been stuck in the past and has not really been digital in the way that it has operated with its customers, to achieve such an incredible transformation, not only does it require incredible passion and tenacity on the part of the people who work for us – the 35,000 Manulifers and 85,000 agents across the globe – it also requires some other critical ingredients.
“One of those ingredients is having a workplace that really inspires and creates an atmosphere that is consistent with that vision. And with this building, we’ve set a new benchmark for our organisation on what that workplace needs to look like.”
Key role in MAS’ vision
Guest-of-Honour Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Education and Board Member of Monetary Authority of Singapore, said, “Manulife is a significant employer in the financial services sector, with more than 500 employees and close to 1,500 financial representatives in Singapore. It is playing a key role in MAS’ vision for Singapore to be a leading global financial centre, which connects markets around the world, and supports Asia’s and Singapore’s development. Under our Industry Transformation Map for financial services, insurance and asset management are two important areas of growth, and Manulife is a leading player in both sectors.”
He added, “Four decades ago, we were actively attracting manufacturing investments, striving for more ‘made-in-Singapore’ products that can be exported to the world. Today, we are working just as hard, to create more ‘made-in-Singapore’ solutions that can be adapted and replicated around the region and the world. We look forward to working with Manulife to co-create even more innovative solutions to serve your customers, and tap into the growth potential of Asia.”
Agile workplace and personalised customer service
Manulife Singapore occupies 10 floors of the tower. Featuring an agile workspace, the new open-concept workspace is designed to improve workflow, communication, and facilitate cross-team collaboration.
Mr Anil Wadhwani, President & CEO, Manulife Asia, said, “It is reflective of modern Manulife that we are building collaborative workspaces that are conducive for getting things done together. The office space is ‘green’ certified and offers a vibrant and energising work environment for our colleagues.”
(L-R): Mr Anil Wadhwani, Mr Roy Gori, Minister Ong Ye Kung, and Dr Khoo Kah Siang, President & CEO of Manulife Singapore
The Customer Service Centre (CSC) features a “transparent LED digital screen”. It is a first-in-the-world transparent LED digital screen with customisable data display. The signage blends seamlessly with the glass wall at the CSC.
The screen is fitted with kinetic motion sensors above. The interactive content in vivid colours engages with passers-by, emphasising Manulife brand’s interaction with consumers with creativity and energy.
Another noteworthy aspect of the CSC is that there are no fixed service counters. Customers will be able to sit wherever they choose and Manulife’s customer service team will approach them when it’s their turn. The CSC concept was developed to provide a more seamless and personalised experience for customers.
Manulife Real Estate acquired the 28-storey, 355,000 square foot, Class A office tower located at 8 Cross Street in Singapore in 2017. The transaction was valued at US$526 million.
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(Pictures courtesy of Manulife)