“A leader of her people.“
Championing holistic wellness.
No stranger to the insurance business, Wong Sze Keed, an industry veteran with close to 30 years of experience, helms AIA Singapore as its Chief Executive Officer. Established in 1931, AIA Singapore is a leading life insurance company in Singapore, with one of the largest agency force.
Sze Keed first joined AIA Singapore in March 2013 as Chief Partnership Distribution Officer and took on the role of Chief Distribution Officer in December 2014, where she was instrumental in strengthening the tied distribution channel, boosting the quality, expertise and productivity of AIA insurance representatives to help families in Singapore meet their protection, savings and investment needs for the long-term.
Under her leadership, AIA Singapore’s tied distribution business has gone from strength-to-strength achieving the Number One Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) company in Singapore for the highest number of MDRT registered members for eight years. In 2022, AIA Singapore also topped the charts to achieve the highest retention rate of MDRT members worldwide. Sze Keed also played an instrumental role in setting up the proprietary financial adviser firm, AIA Financial Advisers (FA) in 2017 and developing it to become one of the leading FA firms in Singapore.
Despite the challenging business environment, AIA Singapore delivered a strong performance in 2021, supported by its digital-first ecosystem and strategy that has equipped its AIA insurance representatives with the necessary tools to deepen engagement with customers every step of the way. AIA Singapore reported an increase in 13 per cent in IFRS Operating Profit After Tax (OPAT), driven by growth in its in-force portfolio and increased investment returns. Its Total Weighted Premium Income (TWPI) achieved 8.4 per cent growth buoyed by recovery in new business and steady growth in renewal premiums.
In addition, AIA Singapore’s Corporate Solutions delivered double-digit growth in Value of New Business (VONB) in 2021 and remains as the Number One Employee Benefits Insurer in Singapore.
Taking on the role of CEO at the height of Singapore’s worst health crisis, Sze Keed focused on the health of her people, across all areas from financial, mental and physical wellness. The challenge also drove her to mobilise a new people-first mandate, to help Singaporeans tide through difficult times.
When AIA celebrated its 90th anniversary in Singapore in 2021, Sze Keed’s mandate led the organisation to anchor its efforts on delivering AIA’s brand promise of enabling Singaporeans to live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives (HLBL). This includes encouraging people to prioritise their mental health.
By putting people at the heart of everything she does, Sze Keed is committed to leading AIA Singapore to build a more sustainable future for generations to come and provide a people-first approach to digital transformation that encompasses high-tech, high-touch and high-trust.
A graduate from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Economics and Mathematics, Sze Keed believes that while her education opened doors for her in the financial services sector, she got to where she was today through resilience and passion.
Sze Keed regards her mother as her role model. She taught her the values of discipline and excellence, and pushed her outside of her comfort zone to excel in her studies. She also imparted values of financial prudence and the need to being financially independent as a woman. Her wisdom encouraged Sze Keed to push past the boundaries, and achieve greater heights in the male-dominated insurance industry.
To this day, Sze Keed continues to hold on to these values, and shares them with her employees. She is convinced that hard work, talent and grit are what helps anyone achieve their goals, regardless of gender or background.
Sze Keed is best described as a servant-leader, where she supports, uplifts and empowers her employees from the ground up. Her people-first approach and friendly disposition has helped her earn a place in her employees’ hearts.
Winning the ACES Awards is a recognition of her leadership and unwavering dedication in championing for Healthier, Longer, Better Lives, and driving AIA Singapore to be the lifelong partner for all Singaporeans throughout their life journeys.
“Wong Sze Keed’s servant-leadership is strongly rooted in her first mentor: her mother. As a woman empowered by another woman, Wong brings to her leadership role care, compassion and clarity about the true needs of her work force. ”
Shanggari Balakrishnan, Chief Executive Officer, MORS Group
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