JR's interview with Gordon Watson, Chairman and CEO of AXA Asia
Gordon Watson has been with AIG/AIA for over thirty years and has held many key senior roles based out of London, New York, Nairobi, Dubai, Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong. For the last 20 years, he has been based in Asia. From 2008 to 2010, he was the Regional President for AIG Life Companies in Japan & Korea and then Global Executive Vice Chairman for ALICO responsible for the Japan business.
And also overseeing the remaining 50 countries for strategy, distribution, corporate solutions, product, and marketing. From 2011 to 2017, Gordon Watson was Regional Chief Executive responsible for AIA Group's operations in Hong Kong & Macau, Australia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and New Zealand as well as the Group's Corporate Solutions, Healthcare, Partnership and AIA Vitality businesses.
On January 1, 2018, he joined AXA as Chief Executive Officer of Asia (including Japan) and a member of the Management Committee of the Group. He was appointed Chairman of AXA Asia in July 2023. As the Chief Executive Officer of AXA Asia & Africa, Gordon is responsible for overseeing the Group’s operations in Asia, Africa, and select Middle East markets.
Namely Hong Kong, mainland China, Japan, South Korea, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Gabon, Côte d'Ivoire, Lebanon, Morocco, Nigeria, and Senegal, as well as AXA Emerging Customers, the company’s unit focusing on closing the protection gap by addressing the insurance needs of the low income to mass market segments.
He also serves as a member of the Group’s Management Committee. Before being appointed to his expanded role as Chief Executive Officer of AXA Asia & Africa in May 2021, Gordon had served as Chief Executive Officer of AXA Asia since January 2018, spearheading the Group’s operations in seven key markets in the region.
With more than 30 years of experience in the insurance business, Gordon Watson is one of the industry’s most accomplished talents. An energetic and creative leader, he believes strongly in the power of collaboration, diversity, and innovation to drive results and help others achieve success, a philosophy that has earned him a sterling reputation in Asia and globally.
Gordon’s experience of the insurance industry is as broad as it is deep, having held several key senior roles at AIG/AIA spanning multiple continents and cities, including New York, London, Nairobi, Dubai, Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong. While living in Tokyo from 2008 to 2010, Gordon led the operations of AIG Life Companies for both Japan and Korea as Regional President and was also the Global Executive Vice Chairman for Alico before Metlife acquired it.
Before joining AXA, Gordon was the Regional Chief Executive of AIA Group based in Hong Kong, and guided business growth in key Asia markets. He also championed a range of major new initiatives ranging from health and wellness programs to corporate partnerships. Gordon is a driven leader outside of the insurance industry too.
Gordon is the founding Chair of Shared Value Initiative Hong Kong. This non-profit membership organization helps private companies create measurable economic value while generating value for the community by improving social or environmental conditions.
Gordon is also the Non-Executive Chairman of Tricor; is a member of Cyberport’s Advisory Board for Fintech, is a GlobalScot; is a board member of LL Global, the parent company of LIMRA, LOMA and Secure Retirement Institute® (SRI®); is part of the Leadership Circle of Unusual Pioneers, affiliated with the World Economic Forum; sits on the Asian Board for the Saltire Foundation and Entrepreneurial Scotland, and is a member of the Global Guiding Council of One Mind at Work.
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