Head of New Business Underwriting

FWD Malaysia Holdings Sdn Bhd; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

FWD Malaysia Holdings Sdn Bhd is seeking a Senior Underwriting Leader to localise, maintain, and implement underwriting policies for FWDIB and FWDT. You will ensure alignment with risk appetite, local regulations, and Group Standards while guiding the underwriting department toward efficient, compliant operations.

You will oversee daily processes, escalate when needed, provide portfolio insights to actuarial and product teams, and monitor industry trends to adjust strategy.

Qualifications

• Degree in Medicine, Biomedicine and/or relevant sciences or 15+ years in Life Insurance with at least 5 years in a senior underwriting leadership role.
• Life Insurance knowledge of products for individual and group.
• Knowledge of local regulations and compliance in life insurance underwriting
• Able to leverage technology for operations efficiency
• Strong communication, leadership and analytical skills

Responsibilities

• Localise, maintain, and implement the Underwriting Policy for FWDIB and FWDT, ensuring guidelines align with local risk appetite, regulations, and Group Standards
• Ensure the new business and underwriting department is aligned with company goals, regulatory requirements, and FWD Malaysia standards
• Exercise underwriting authority within Delegated Authority Manuals with escalation controls
• Establish underwriting risk assessment frameworks and ensure consistent application across decisions
• Provide underwriting assumptions and portfolio insights to Actuarial and Product teams to support pricing and development
• Monitor industry trends and emerging risks to inform underwriting strategies
• Oversee daily underwriting operations with efficient workflow, service levels, accuracy, and customer experience
• Develop and implement best practices to optimise underwriting operations
• Act as First Line of Defence Risk Owner for AML/CFT, Fair Treatment of Customers, and data privacy
• Manage the underwriting department budget for cost-effective operations

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Analytical skills

Technology for efficiency

Education

Medicine/Biomedicine or relevant sciences

Life insurance senior leadership experience (5+ years)

Job description

Localise, maintain, and implement the Underwriting Policy for FWDIB and FWDT, ensuring guidelines align with each local entity's risk appetite, local regulations, and Group Standards

Ensure the new business and underwriting department is aligned with company goals, regulatory requirements, FWD Malaysia standards, and FWD Group standards

Exercise underwriting authority within the limits defined in the respective FWDIB and FWDT Delegated Authority Manuals, with appropriate escalation controls to prevent authority breaches

Establish underwriting risk assessment frameworks and ensure consistent application across underwriting decisions

Provide underwriting assumptions and relevant portfolio insights to Actuarial and Product teams to support robust product pricing and development

Monitor industry trends and emerging risks to inform and adjust underwriting strategies

Oversee daily underwriting operations, ensuring efficient workflow, committed service levels, high accuracy, and a positive distribution and customer experience

Develop and implement best practices and procedures to optimise underwriting operations

Act as the First Line of Defence Risk Owner for Underwriting, ensuring operational compliance with AML/CFT policies, Fair Treatment of Customers, and data privacy requirements

Manage the underwriting department budget, ensuring cost-effective operations

About you

Degree in Medicine, Biomedicine and/or relevant sciences OR more than 15 years' experience in Life Insurance, including at least 5 years in a senior underwriting leadership role

Life Insurance professional qualification is advantageous, i.e. FMII, LOMA, FALU and etc.

Deep knowledge of life insurance underwriting principles, life insurance products for individual and group

Knowledge of local regulations and compliance requirements applicable to life insurance underwriting

Able to leverage technology for operations efficiency

Strong communication skills, written and verbal

Strong leadership and team management skills, able to motivate and develop high performing team

Strong analytical skills

FWD Malaysia Holdings Sdn Bhd (FWD Malaysia) is the financial holding company for FWD Takaful & FWD Insurance Bhd, aim to change how people feel about takaful & insurance. Through its subsidiaries it offers family takaful and life insurance, including medical, CI protection, savings plans and investment-linked solutions, and is regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia under Financial Services Act 2013. It is part of FWD Group (1828.HK), a pan-Asian life and health insurer founded in 2013, serving over 38Ms clients across 10 of the world’s fastest-growing insurance markets, including BRI Life in Indonesia, and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange Main Board (stock code 1828). More info: fwd.com.my