Foundation Data Lead - MY/SG

Liberty Specialty Markets; Malaysia; On-site; MYR 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Liberty Specialty Markets in Malaysia seeks a Foundation Data Lead to drive the APAC data strategy and build data capability across Commercial and Retail. You will guide data foundations, governance and enablement services to support analytics, reporting, AI/ML, and regulatory outcomes in line with the APAC Target Operating Model.

Coordinate with Underwriting, Claims, Actuarial, Distribution, Finance and Compliance to define data requirements and deliver unified data models, data marts, and

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in data, analytics, and AI in insurance or reinsurance.
• Leading data enablement and data product delivery across federated regional models.
• Delivery of data foundations: unified data models, standard views, data marts, taxonomy alignment.
• Experience leading large-scale transformation programs across geographies.
• Proven ability to lead multicultural, dispersed teams.
• Strong understanding of data governance and minimum standards.
• Experience in a matrixed global organisation.

Responsibilities

• Lead execution of the region's Data & Analytics strategy for APAC.
• Translate strategy into a practical delivery roadmap with data foundations and governance.
• Collaborate with leaders to define data requirements upfront.
• Partner with Technology and Data Engineering to ensure fit-for-purpose solutions.
• Lead federated enablement, coordinating regional capabilities with market teams.
• Define central vs local deliverables to reduce duplication and meet local needs.
• Support markets with repeatable enablement patterns and reference implementations.
• Own end-to-end programme management for the APAC Data Enablement portfolio.

Skills

Communication

Negotiation

Analytical thinking

Deadline-driven

Change management

Relationship building

Time management

Attention to detail

Team player

Job description

The Foundation Data Lead is responsible for executing the region’s foundational data strategy and building data capability across Liberty’s Commercial and Retail businesses. As a key member of the Data & Analytics APAC team, this role drives and implements critical data foundations, management, governance, and enablement services. It also ensures consistency across six markets to support analytics, reporting, AI/ML, and regulatory outcomes in line with the APAC Target Operating Model.

Key Responsibilities

• Execution and Delivery Leadership
  • Lead the execution of the region’s Data & Analytics strategy in alignment with global objectives and business priorities.
  • Translate the APAC Data & Analytics strategy into a practical delivery roadmap covering data foundations, standardisation, and business consumption.
  • Balance regional consistency with market-specific regulatory, operational, and business requirements.
• Collaboration & Stakeholder Management
  • Work closely with functional leaders across Underwriting, Claims, Actuarial, Distribution, Finance, Compliance, and other key business areas to define data requirements upfront.
  • Act as the connection between business demand and technical delivery.
  • Partner with Technology and Data Engineering teams to ensure solutions are fit for purpose and that high-value initiatives are prioritised.
  • Lead a federated enablement model, coordinating regional capabilities with in-market data teams.
  • Define what is delivered centrally versus locally, reducing duplication while allowing for local market needs.
  • Support markets at different levels of maturity by providing repeatable enablement patterns and reference implementations.
• Data Foundations and Solution Delivery
  • Ensure delivery of high-quality, scalable, and secure data solutions that meet business and regulatory requirements.
  • Own the delivery of core data foundations that support analytics and reporting, including Unified Data Models (UDM), Standard views, Data Marts and Product, broker, client, and channel taxonomy alignment
  • Define, adopt, and implement minimum data standards across markets.
  • Reduce fragmentation, manual reconciliations, and legacy dependencies through a foundation-first approach.
  • Promote self-service enablement through standardised datasets, governed access, and clear ownership.
• Program and Project Management
  • Own end-to-end programme & project management for the APAC Data Enablement portfolio; establish and enforce structured delivery governance including intake, prioritisation, scope control, milestones, dependencies, RAID management and executive reporting.
  • Act as the single point of accountability for delivery across multiple concurrent regional and market initiatives, ensuring timelines, cost and scope remain aligned to business priorities.
• Team Leadership & Development
  • Lead, Inspire and develop a diverse team of data and analytics professionals (data analysts, data architects, data product owners, Business Analysists, Enablement specialists) across the region
  • Build team capability through coaching, development, and talent planning, fostering a high-performance, and collaborative culture across the region.
  • Define clear role boundaries and team interfaces to avoid duplication and delivery friction.
  • Identify capability gaps and support workforce planning aligned to the Target Operating Model (TOM) roadmap.
• Governance & Compliance
  • Ensure Liberty’s data governance, quality, and privacy standards are applied in line with global and regional regulatory requirements.
  • Provide executive-level reporting on delivery progress, risks, and value delivered.
  • Communicate the importance of foundational enablement work in supporting business outcomes such as growth, cost efficiency, risk management, and speed to insight.
  • Represent enablement progress and outcomes in Steering Committees, ExCo forums, and audit discussions.

Key Skills

• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Advanced negotiation and influencing skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work to deadlines and high standards, with confidence leading through ambiguity in a changing environment.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and change management skills.
• Highly proficient relationship-building and influencing skills
• Strong time management and prioritisation skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Solid team player with strong business ethics

Experience & Qualification Requirements

• Extensive leadership experience in data, analytics, and AI, ideally within the Property & Casualty insurance or reinsurance sector.
• Proven experience leading data enablement and data product delivery across multiple initiatives within a federated regional and market operating model.
• Demonstrated delivery of business-critical data foundations that support analytics and reporting, including unified data models, standard views, data marts, semantic layers, and reference data/taxonomy alignment.
• Strong track record in leading large-scale transformation programs across multiple geographies, with solid program and project management capability, including intake management, prioritisation, scope control, milestone tracking, dependency management, RAID management, and executive reporting.
• Strong experience leading multicultural, geographically dispersed, multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong understanding of data governance and minimum standards.
• Experience working in a matrixed global organisation