Chief Operating Officer, Asia

QBE Asia; Petaling Jaya; On-site; MYR 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading international insurance company seeks a COO for its Asia operations to lead strategy, manage business transformation, and oversee critical functions including Data & Analytics. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in operational leadership within regulated financial services, focusing on growth and innovation across the region. This role offers a dynamic work environment with a strong emphasis on collaboration and performance improvement.

Benefits

Flex and hybrid working options

Work from home policy

Paternity leaves matching with maternity leave

Well-being programs

Pensions

Medical benefits

Access to online learning via LinkedIn Learning

3 additional days off (Family care leaves)

Study leave

Marriage leave

Internal Appreciation program with points to redeem nice merchandise

Qualifications

• Experience with broad strategic planning; experience managing businesses.
• Significant experience of leading multi-disciplined operations.
• Substantial experience of creating world class operations function in a regulated financial services business.
• Significant years’ experience within an appropriate professional or business discipline.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Asia region’s strategy, operations, and business transformation agenda to drive growth.
• Direct Management of policy administration and customer services.
• Drive transformation programs and improve operation effectiveness.
• Provide executive oversight of Data & Analytics and Technology functions.
• Foster a culture of performance and continuous improvement in the region.

Skills

Coaching for success

Cost Management

Critical Thinking

Decision Making

Influencing

Intentional collaboration

Managing performance

Navigating ambiguity

Operational Risks

Operations Management

Process Improvements

Stakeholder Management

Strategic Agility

Strategic Management

Strategic Thinking

Job description

Primary Details

Time Type: Full time

Worker Type: Employee

The Opportunity

The COO, Asia leads regional Strategy, Operations, and Business Transformation while overseeing Data & Analytics, Technology, Operational Risk, and Procurement to drive growth, service excellence, innovation, and strong governance across Asia.

Your new role

• Lead the Asia region’s strategy, operations, and business transformation agenda to drive growth, customer value, and operational excellence.
• Shape long‑term strategic plans, oversee market insights, and support business development initiatives across different locations.
• Direct Management of policy administration, customer services, and management services to ensure efficient, high‑quality service delivery.
• Drive transformation programs and improve operation effectiveness, ensuring strong governance, effective change management, and adoption of innovative solutions.
• Provide executive oversight of Data & Analytics, Technology (Change/Run/Security), Operational Risk, and Procurement functions.
• Foster a culture of performance, collaboration, and continuous improvement, while developing talent and strengthening leadership capability across the region.
• Strengthen the region’s risk culture by embedding robust operational risk practices across teams.
• Plan, allocate and manage financial budget by anticipating expenditures, forecast resource needs/costs and properly accounting for expenses to meet requirements and achieve fiscal responsibility.

About you

• Experience with broad strategic planning; experience managing businesses.
• Significant experience of leading multi-disciplined operations.
• Substantial experience of creating world class operations function in a regulated financial services business.
• Significant years’ experience within an appropriate professional or business discipline.

About QBE

What if you could have a positive impact – at work and in the world?

At QBE, we’re enabling a more resilient future – for our customers, communities, environment, and for our people. We’re building momentum to achieve something significant and know our people are at the centre of our success.

Our industry offers interesting and varied careers where you can help people to protect what matters most. As part of the QBE team, you’ll get to spend every day working with people who are passionate, talented and kind. And with more than 13,000 people working across 27 countries, our scale means we’re big enough for your ambitions, yet small enough for you to make a real impact.

QBE Asia’s operations is part of the QBE International Division, and has had a presence in Asia for more than 130 years with offices in: Singapore, Hong Kong & Macau, Malaysia and Vietnam. We continue to be recognised for our ongoing focus on digital innovation to deliver exceptional value and operational excellence for our customers, business partners, people the community. We support ESG efforts through the QBE Foundation, which helps to create strong, resilient and inclusive communities, by focusing investment and efforts on two key areas where we believe we can have the greatest impact – climate resilience and inclusion.

Benefits

• Flex and hybrid working options
• Work from home policy
• Paternity leaves matching with maternity leave
• Well‑being programs
• Pensions
• Medical benefits
• Globally, access to online learning via LinkedIn Learning
• On top of annual leaves, 3 additional days off (Family care leaves)
• Study leave
• Marriage leave
• Internal Appreciation program with points to redeem nice merchandise and life experiences

Skills

Coaching for success, Cost Management, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Influencing, Intentional collaboration, Managing performance, Navigating ambiguity, Operational Risks, Operations Management, Process Improvements, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Agility, Strategic Management, Strategic Thinking

How to Apply

To submit your application, click "Apply" and follow the step by step process.

Equal Employment Opportunity

QBE is an equal opportunity employer and is required to comply with equal employment opportunity legislation in each jurisdiction it operates.

Global Disclaimer

The duties listed in this job description do not limit the assignment of work. They are not to be construed as a complete list of the duties normally to be performed in the position or those occasionally assigned outside an employee’s normal duties. Our Group Code of Ethics and Conduct addresses the responsibilities we all have at QBE to our company, to each other and to our customers, suppliers, communities and governments. It provides clear guidance to help us to make good judgement calls.