Manulife has appointed Sarah Chapman as Global Chief Marketing & Customer Experience Officer, with the appointment taking effect on 1 January 2027. Chapman will join Manulife’s Executive Leadership Team and report to President and Chief Executive Officer Phil Witherington.
In her new role, Chapman will lead Manulife’s Global Marketing organisation, overseeing the company’s brand, marketing and enterprise customer experience strategies.
Chapman currently serves as Chief Marketing Officer for Manulife Canada, where she also leads the company’s global Digital, Customer Centricity and Sustainability agendas. She previously held the role of Chief Marketing Officer for Manulife Wealth and Asset Management.
Her experience spans marketing strategy, brand development, digital, analytics, customer experience and sustainability, giving her a broad remit across several areas of Manulife’s business.
“Sarah is a proven global leader with deep knowledge of our business, customers and enterprise strategy,” said Phil Witherington, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife. “Her appointment reflects the strength of our internal talent pipeline and is the result of thoughtful succession planning. I’m confident her strategic perspective, creativity and strong track record of leading transformation will help us build on our momentum, deepen our customer focus and advance Manulife’s ambition to be the number one choice for customers.”
Chapman said she was honoured to take on the role and looked forward to working with colleagues across Manulife to deliver meaningful experiences and impact for customers.
“I’m honoured to take on this role and am excited to help make lives better for more than 37 million customers around the world,” said Chapman. “Manulife has an exceptional Global Marketing team, a trusted brand, and a clear commitment to innovation. I look forward to building on our strong foundation and working with colleagues across the company to deliver meaningful experiences and impact for our customers.”
She will succeed Karen Leggett, who is retiring from Manulife at the end of 2026. The transition is expected to provide continuity as Chapman takes responsibility for the company’s global marketing and customer experience agenda.
Manulife is an international financial services provider headquartered in Toronto, with operations across Canada, Asia and Europe, as well as the John Hancock business in the United States. At the end of 2025, the company had more than 39,000 employees and served more than 36 million customers globally.
