AIA Bhd. Strengthens Takaful Business and Agency Distribution with Two Key Appointments

KUALA LUMPUR, 4 February 2015 – AIA Bhd. has made two key appointments to its Executive Committee to further strengthen its Takaful business and Life Planner distribution channel. Elmie Aman Najas has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of AIA PUBLIC Takaful Bhd. (AIA PUBLIC) effective 15 January 2015, while Kelvin Ang has joined as AIA Bhd.’s National Chief Agency Officer, beginning 1 February 2015.

Elmie will play a key role in driving AIA PUBLIC’s product development strategy to ensure alignment with the company’s multi-channel distribution approach. AIA PUBLIC has the advantage of leveraging AIA and Public Bank’s leadership positions and established infrastructure in the insurance and banking industries. The company’s suite of Family Takaful solutions are distributed via AIA’s 17,000-strong Life Planner force and Public Bank’s network of 259 branches nationwide.

Kelvin will be responsible for driving AIA’s Premier Agency strategy in Malaysia with a clear focus on the recruitment of full-time Life Planners to drive AIA’s ambition of creating the largest and most productive Life Planner sales force in the country. AIA’s recruitment agenda over the past two years has centred on attracting young adults, including those from the Malay segment, to boost sales productivity and unlock the growth potential of family Takaful in Malaysia.

Commenting on the appointments, Bill Lisle, CEO of AIA Bhd. said, “We are delighted to have Elmie and Kelvin on board. Our vision is to become the best provider of insurance products and services so we address the protection needs of Malaysians at every stage in their lives. I am confident that Elmie and Kelvin’s extensive experience in the industry will help us achieve our vision and further accelerate our growth ambitions.

Elmie, who has close to 20 years of experience in insurance, was Chief Agency Officer of AIA Bhd.’s Central region. In that role, he amassed experience in distribution channel management and strategic planning as he helped to drive AIA’s business goals in the Takaful space through the company’s Life Planner force.

Elmie joined AIA in 2011 when he was made Head of Operations & Partnership for the former AIA-AFG Takaful Bhd (AATB). He was subsequently appointed Head of Channel Management of AIA PUBLIC, where he played a critical role in ensuring the successful integration of the two entities’ multi-channel distribution lines following the integration of AIA’s businesses in Malaysia in 2013.

Kelvin brings with him a wealth of experience which he gained during his 17-year tenure with the AIA Group. His most recent role was with AIA China where he served as the Chief Agency Officer since 2013.

He transformed the agency force by driving significant Value of New Business growth, a measure of future profitability, in the last two years. He has also served in various senior Agency management and Agency distribution roles in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Vietnam and within China.

Prior to joining AIA, Kelvin acquired some 10 years’ of experience in sales management and marketing within the banking, telecommunication and automobile distribution industries.

About AIA Bhd.

AIA Bhd. is a leading insurer in Malaysia, where we have been privileged to do business since 1948. We offer a suite of high quality products including Protection, Health, Personal Accident, General Insurance, Employee Benefits, Retirement and Family Takaful options to meet our customers’ protection and financial security needs at every life stage. Through our wide and diverse distribution footprint which comprises a tied agency force of close to 17,000 members, our exclusive bank partner’s branches nationwide as well as corporate sales teams and brokers, we give our customers the choice of deciding how, when and where they connect with us.

Part of the AIA Group, the largest independent publicly listed pan-Asian life insurance group, AIA Bhd. in Malaysia has the financial strength, experience, service centre network as well as a well-trained team of more than 2,000 staff to serve its over 2.6 million customers nationwide. As at end 2013, AIA Bhd.’s total asset worth was RM42 billion, with a paid-up capital of RM767 million.

About AIA

AIA Group Limited and its subsidiaries (collectively “AIA” or “the Group”) comprise the largest independent publicly listed pan-Asian life insurance group. It has operations in 17 markets in Asia-Pacific – wholly-owned branches and subsidiaries in Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam, New Zealand, Macau, Brunei, a 97 per cent subsidiary in Sri Lanka, a 26 per cent joint venture in India and a representative office in Myanmar.

The business that is now AIA was first established in Shanghai over 90 years ago. It is a market leader in the Asia-Pacific region (ex-Japan) based on life insurance premiums and holds leading positions across the majority of its markets. It had total assets of US$147 billion as of 31 May 2013.

AIA meets the savings and protection needs of individuals by offering a range of products and services including retirement savings plans, life insurance and accident and health insurance. The Group also provides employee benefits, credit life and pension services to corporate clients. Through an extensive network of agents and employees across Asia-Pacific, AIA serves the holders of more than 27 million individual policies and over 16 million participating members of group insurance schemes.

AIA Group Limited is listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the stock code “1299” with American Depositary Receipts (Level 1) traded on the over-the-counter market (ticker symbol: “AAGIY”).

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