The new general manager, James Lai-Hing Tan, will report directly to John van der Wielen, chief executive of international at Friends Life.
He will be based in FPI’s Hong Kong office and will be responsible for the firm’s activities throughout Asia and the Middle East.
Tan’s appointment completes a restructure announced by van der Wielen in March this year, under which the company has shifted its focus away from the UK to Asia and the Middle East.
As part of this restructure, Bob Pain, who had been with the company for more than two decades, lost his job as international sales director – a post he had held since 2005.
Paul Tunnicliffe, who joined the company only one year after Pain, also lost his job as managing director of Friends Provident International.
Tan joins from AIA where he was group head of its partner distribution business based in Hong Kong.
“This appointment reflects the desire of Friends Life to more closely align the structure of the international division with our core markets, which is central to our future strategy,” said van der Wielen. “Tan speaks three languages, and has worked in several different countries around the world reflecting the diverse geographic make-up of our business.”
