Manulife has recently made significant leadership changes across Asia, appointing Lauren Sulistiawati as CEO of Manulife Indonesia, with Ryan Charland transitioning to Manulife Japan. Benoit Meslet, previously CEO of Manulife Japan, will now lead Manulife Singapore, while Kah Siang Khoo takes on the role of CEO for emerging markets.
Starting 24 February 2025, Sulistiawati will collaborate with Charland to ensure a smooth transition, reporting to Khoo. She joins from Commonwealth Bank, where she successfully transitioned its operations to OCBC while maintaining positive customer experiences. Sulistiawati has a wealth of leadership experience in Indonesian and multinational banks.
Charland’s new role becomes effective on 1 May 2025, and he will join Meslet in Japan in April for a seamless handover. Under Charland’s leadership, Manulife Indonesia has seen increased market share and a leading Net Promoter Score. His expertise in product development and risk management will be crucial for Manulife Japan.
Meslet, who joins Singapore on 1 June 2025, pending regulatory approval, has led Manulife Japan to achieve consecutive years of earnings growth. With over two decades of experience in Asia’s life insurance sector, he is well-equipped for his new role.
Khoo, now CEO of emerging markets, will oversee operations in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and the Philippines. Since joining Manulife in 2018, he has driven sustainable growth and established Singapore as a key market. He has strengthened the company’s market leadership through a notable partnership with DBS.
Adrienne O’Neill, currently global controller and group chief accounting officer, has been appointed Asia CFO. She will report to Phil Witherington, president and CEO of Manulife Asia, and Colin Simpson, Manulife’s global CFO. O’Neill has been with Manulife for over 17 years, holding various senior finance roles.
As part of these changes, Michael Thomssen, the current Asia CFO, and Sachin Shah, head of emerging markets, will be leaving Manulife. Witherington will take on the role of President and CEO of Manulife globally, effective 9 May, until a successor is announced.
“These changes highlight the depth of our leadership across Asia and our commitment to sustainable growth,” said Witherington. “We are on track to achieve our goal of contributing half of Manulife’s core earnings by 2027. These leaders will drive our next chapter in Manulife Asia’s journey.”
