Management Team
Michael Huddart is Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong, Manulife (International) Limited, and the Chief Executive of Manulife Asset Management (Hong Kong) Limited. He is responsible for the overall development of Manulife’s business operation in Hong Kong, including individual insurance, employee benefits and wealth management. He also sits on the Board of the above two companies.
Under Mr. Huddart's leadership, Manulife's operations in Hong Kong have grown substantially with vibrant insurance, wealth-management and pension businesses. There has also been significant growth from both the tied agency and independent distribution channels, with more than 4,200 tied agents and a large number of distribution partners.
Mr. Huddart is very active in the Hong Kong insurance industry. He is a member of the Insurance Advisory Committee, chaired by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, that advises the Hong Kong Chief Executive on matters relating to the administration of the Insurance Companies Ordinance and the carrying on of insurance business in Hong Kong. He is also Chairman of the Insurance Claims Complaints Bureau, having served as Chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers (HKFI) from 2007 to 2008, and Chairman of the HKFI's Life Insurance Council from 2006 to 2007, and he continues to be the Chairman/Deputy Chairman of a number of HKFI Task Forces. He is also a member of the Professional Ethics Review Board of the Institute of Financial Planners of Hong Kong and of the organising committee for the HKMA Quality Award.
From 2000 to 2003, Mr. Huddart was General Manager of Manulife Taiwan, where he led the business to new heights with a premium growth of more than 1,000 per cent during his four-year tenure. He also established Manulife Taiwan's leadership position by introducing the first investment-linked as well as the first universal-variable life products in the market.
Before moving to Taiwan, Mr. Huddart was Vice President for Business Development in Asia, based in Hong Kong. He was instrumental in several Manulife acquisitions (including that of the Japan business) and market entries in Asia. He has also been Manulife's Chief Actuary in Indonesia as well as the President Director of its former pension consulting business there.
Mr. Huddart holds a Bachelor of Science (honours) degree in actuarial science from City University in London, is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia, an Associate of the Society of Actuaries (USA) and also holds a Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning from the Financial Services Institute of Australia. His more than 30 years of practical experience in the life-insurance and pension-consulting fields have included many leadership positions.
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George Chew
George Chew is Vice President of Individual Financial Products. He heads Manulife's IFP business in Hong Kong, assuming overall management responsibility for the growth and development of individual financial products and services, including individual life insurance, general insurance and credit card businesses. A native Singaporean, Mr. Chew has a strong background in both distribution and product management. In his present role with Manulife, Mr. Chew will be the key figure leading the company's individual financial products business for ongoing expansion.
Prior to joining Manulife, Mr. Chew was Chief Distribution Officer for life insurance products and the unit trust platform of an UK-based insurer in Singapore for six years and was responsible for the strategic definition and development of alternative distribution channels like IFAs and bancassurance where he had successfully increased the market share in Regular Premium and Single Premium for the company substantially. In 2006, Mr. Chew was appointed as Sales Director, overseeing Sales and Profitability of that company's bank and IFA partnerships, and took charge for the development of its direct sales force.
Mr. Chew's previous experience also included running his own online insurance business by developing an e-commerce website offering personal financial services. He had been a managing director of a timber company where he successfully restructured the debt and secured the support of business counterparts. Mr. Chew has also held various senior posts with a number of other major multinational insurance companies.
Mr. Chew holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the National University of Singapore.
Emil Lee
Emil Lee is Vice President and Chief Agency Officer for Manulife (International) Limited, overseeing Manulife Hong Kong’s award-winning agency force and its distribution and sales strategies, and taking helm to lead the agency force to even higher levels of growth and professionalism. Mr. Lee is a member of Manulife Hong Kong’s senior-management team.
Mr. Lee has an excellent career since joining Manulife in 1999. He has spent six years with Manulife-Sinochem (MSL), Manulife’s operation in mainland China, where the business has gone from strength to strength. He was most recently MSL’s Deputy General Manager, responsible for MSL’s operations in Guangdong and Zhejiang Provinces, involved in its business start-up in Fujian Province, and oversaw its Employee Benefits, Branch Expansion and Marketing and Branding departments. In 2008, Mr. Lee also served for several months as the interim General Manager of Manulife’s Taiwan operation.
Prior to joining Manulife in Hong Kong, Mr. Lee had worked for a number of leading insurance, reinsurance, and consulting companies in Canada and the United States.
Mr. Lee holds Bachelor and Master degrees from the University of Western Ontario, and is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.
Alan Merten
Alan Merten is Vice President, Employee Benefits for Manulife, responsible for the financial services and products, including Pension Fund, Group Life and Group Medical products, offered to employers and employees in Hong Kong. Mr. Merten oversees the overall marketing, channel relationships, product development and administration management of the Employee Benefits products and services.Mr. Merten is an industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience in pensions, wealth management, life insurance, health insurance and general insurance from Australia, European and Asian markets. As a member of the top management team, he also plays an active part in the overall strategy and direction of the Hong Kong operation.
Prior to joining Manulife, Mr. Merten was the General Manager of a specialist financial-planning and retail pensions fund business in Australia, where he was responsible for the creation, launch and development of this business, and led the business to quickly become the market leader in its target market.
Mr. Merten holds an MBA from the Macquarie Graduate School of Management and is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia.
Myles Morin
Myles Morin is Vice President, Independent Distribution & Investment Funds of Manulife (International) Limited, responsible for spearheading the Company’s business development and sales via independent distribution channels. He also leads initiatives to further strengthen and expand Manulife’s non-agency distribution franchise and oversees the Investment Funds unit. As a member of the Senior Management Team, he plays an active part in the overall strategy and direction of the Hong Kong Operation.
Mr Morin joined Manulife Canada in 2001. Before moving to Hong Kong, he was Vice President, Wealth Management Sales, for Manulife’s Canadian Division. Under his leadership, the wealth management sales team successfully built the division’s wealth portfolio and more than tripled its assets under management.
A veteran with 25 years’ extensive experience in the financial services industry, Mr Morin served in the Saskatchewan government in Canada as Minister of Revenue and Financial Services, started up a brokerage office for a Canadian securities company, and held senior positions at international and leading Canadian investment firms.
Mr Morin holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Saskatchewan and an MBA from Queens University, Ontario