Asia's life insurance industry celebrates wide spectrum of awards finalists

Judges gathered online on the 6 May 2021 to deliberate and vote on worthy winners drawn from an impressive shortlist in the final round of judging for the 6th Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards.

A total of 65 entrants made it to the shortlist of finalists for the 6th Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards. The finalists emerged from 12markets across the region including Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

The awards recognise the best in life insurance and advisory across Asia. They have become highly sought-after marks of excellence because of the esteemed judging panel and independent judging process. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, there were some 280 submissions from over 60 companies and 17 markets.

This year’s panel of 29 judges consisted of CEOs, senior executives, industry leaders and experts. Finalists were shortlisted after the first round of remote judging where judges went through a 1,000-word write-up and supporting documents that accompanied each entry. In the second round of judging held virtually on 6 May 2021, judges deliberated and voted for their choice of winners by secret ballot for the 16 categories, including Executive Champion of the Year.

Results are kept secret and will only be announced on awards night.

The 6th Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards are organised by Asia Insurance Review and Asia Advisers Network, with LIMRA as co-organiser, AIA as strategic partner and Allianz and Union Assurance as sponsors. HSBC Holdings group chairman Mark Tucker is patron of the awards.

Asia Insurance Review chief executive officer Sheela Suppiah said, “The entries were immensely impressive and we are encouraged that these awards still hold such a high place for Asia’s agency force. To see what has been achieved during an unprecedented pandemic year is testament to the sheer commitment and endurance of these hero agents. We salute them all.”

Asia Insurance Review editorial director Paul McNamara said, “It is a testament to the commitment and enthusiasm of all insurance agents and advisers across the region that they still play such a critical role in the face of digital disruption. These awards recognise the best of the best.”

The virtual awards night will be held on 7 July 2021. Visit www.AsiaAdvisersNetwork.com/awards or email lifeawards@asiainsurancereview.com for more information.    

The finalists are:

Ms Alison Salka, Senior Vice President and Director of Research, LIMRA, LOMA and LL Global, Inc.The distinguished panel of judges comprises:

• Mr Andy M Law, President, Financial Services Managers Association (FSMA)
• Mr Anurag Gupta, Senior Vice President, Head, Agency Program, Transformation and Growth Initiative, Max Life Insurance Company Limited
• Ms Anusha Thavarajah, CEO, Life & Health, Asia Pacific, Allianz
• Mr Banyong Witayaweerasak, Chairman, APFinSA
• Mr Benedict Sison, President, Philippine Life Insurance Association (PLIA) & CEO and Country Head, Sun Life Philippines
• Mr Bruce de Broize, Regional Head of Distribution, Generali Asia
• Mr Carlos Lee Seng Teck, President (2020/2021), Insurance and Financial Practitioners Association of Singapore (IFPAS) & Co-Chairman 18th Asia Pacific Life Insurance Congress (APLIC) 2022 Singapore
• Mr Davey Lee, President (2021), The Life Underwriters Association of Hong Kong & Senior Regional Director, Prudential Hong Kong Limited
• Mr James Liu, President, Insurance and Financial Practitioners Association of Taiwan (IFPA)
• Ms Jeslyn Tan, President, Singapore Insurance Institute (SII)
• Mr Jude Gomes, CEO, Union Assurance
• Mr Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society & Chief Membership Officer, Chartered Insurance Institute
• Ms Laura Hoi, Zone Chair, South East Asia, Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), Membership Communications Committee (MCC) & Private Wealth Consultant, Prudential Assurance Company Singapore
• Mr Mark O’Dell, CEO, Life Insurance Association of Malaysia
• Mr Mark V. T. Saunders, Group Executive, Group Chief Strategy & Corporate Development Officer, AIA Group Limited
• Mr Patrick Peck, Managing Director, Regional Agency / FA & Bancassurance
  Great Eastern Life Assurance Co. Ltd
• Mr Paul Arrowsmith, Senior Vice President and President, International, LIMRA, LOMA, and LL Global, Inc.
• Mr Paul McNamara, Editorial Director, Asia Insurance Review
• Mr Rishi Srivastava, CEO, Group Agency Distribution, AIA Group
• Mr Rotha Chan, CEO, FWD Cambodia
• Mr Sara Lamsam, President and CEO, Muang Thai Life Assurance Public Company Limited (MTL)
• Ms Selina Lau, Chief Executive, The Hong Kong Federation of Insurers
• Ms Shalini Pavithran, CEO, Malaysian Insurance Institute, ASEAN Insurance Training & Research Institute
• Mr Stephen Appleyard, Chief of Distribution Hub, AXA Asia
• Mr Steven Fong, General Manager, Distribution, Sun Life Hong Kong Limited
• Mr Willison So Yu, 2020 National President, Life Underwriters Association of the Philippines

Supporting organisations include Chartered Insurance Institute, Financial Services Managers Association Singapore, The Hong Kong Federation of Insurers, Insurance and Financial Practitioners Association of Singapore, Insurance and Financial Practitioners Association of Taiwan, Life Insurance Association Singapore, LOMA, Million Dollar Round Table, The Malaysian Insurance Institute, Life Insurance Association of Malaysia, Life Underwriters Association of Hong Kong, Life Underwriters Association of Philippines, Philippine Life Insurance Association, and Singapore Insurance Institute.

For more information on the Awards, email lifeawards@asiainsurancereview.com

More on the Awards:

 6th Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards sees 280 entries from 17 markets

6th Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards opens for nominations

Check out the past winners here

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