Head of Surety

Chubb; Malaysia; On-site; MYR 250,000 - 450,000; Full time

Job summary

Chubb Malaysia seeks a senior leader to head the Surety business, oversee underwriting governance, and build a scalable APAC operating hub in Malaysia. The role focuses on profitable underwriting growth, local broker and client development, and regional coordination to align with APAC strategy.

The ideal candidate will have strong surety or credit insurance experience, a solid grasp of financial statements and bond structures, and proven leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, Law, Actuarial Science, Engineering or related discipline.
• 7–10 years of relevant experience in surety, credit insurance, banking, corporate credit, specialty underwriting or commercial insurance.
• Prior people management or functional leadership experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of financial statements, credit assessment, bond structures, indemnity arrangements and commercial contract risk.
• Established Malaysian broker/client relationships strongly preferred; regional APAC exposure advantageous.
• Fluent written and spoken English; Bahasa Malaysia and additional Asian language capability advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead Malaysia Surety business and drive APAC hub strategy.
• Oversee underwriting within delegated authority and ensure governance.
• Develop and expand broker, agent and client relationships in Malaysia.
• Monitor portfolio performance, pricing discipline and profitability.
• Participate in APAC regional initiatives and digitization efforts.
• Support launch of NBI and align with APAC strategy.

Skills

Underwriting

People management

Business development

Strategic planning

Client relationships

Education

Bachelor degree in Finance

Bachelor degree in Accounting

Bachelor degree in Economics

Bachelor degree in Business

Bachelor degree in Law

Actuarial Science

Engineering

Job description

Role Purpose

To lead the Malaysia Surety business and support the creation of a scalable APAC Surety operating hub in Malaysia. The role is accountable for profitable underwriting growth, local broker, agents and client development, underwriting governance, regional coordination, and long-term operational scalability.

Responsibilities

Management of current indigenous book

• Strategy – primary role on business development; agency relationship & development; product; planning & forecasting – working closely with HOS.
• Underwriting oversight within delegated limits.
• Compliance – incl underwriting guidelines, authority, peer review
• Profitable financial performance – deliver profitable P&L ≥ plan; minimal-nil losses.
• Champion digitization of Tier 1 bonds and use of AI as appropriate

Assist new business initiative

• Assist strategy – targeting large, financially solvent Malaysian corporates mirroring APAC strategy in other countries, issuing bonds locally and overseas. Initially under close management of HOS:
• Local broker engagement to drive strategy and ID prospects.
• Engage with key prospects to “sell” Chubb Surety proposition.
• Facilitate underwriting of new business by APAC Surety regional team.
• Assist with servicing of customers.

Portfolio, Underwriting & Governance

• Underwrite within delegated authority and ensure timely referral of cases outside authority.
• Lead portfolio planning, pricing discipline, risk selection and profitability monitoring.
• Review financial strength, credit quality, contractual obligations, bond wordings, recourse documentation and indemnity structures.
• Ensure underwriting files contain clear rationale, complete approvals, pricing evidence, financial analysis and compliance documentation.
• Drive profitable Malaysia Surety P&L meeting / exceeding COG Surety plans and targets.
• Support peer review, underwriting audits, technical reviews and remediation of any control gaps.

Business Development & Market Management

• Develop relationships with agents, brokers, clients, banks, contractors and large corporates.
• Specific to current Malaysia surety indigenous book, broaden agent / distribution channels and reduce reliance and dilute reliance on few agents to deliver production.
• Assist with launch of NBI, initially under direction and support of APAC Regional team:
• Identify target segments including financially solvent Malaysian corporates, infrastructure-related clients and multinational/local groups with overseas bond requirements.
• Develop and maintain appropriate distribution channels relevant to NBI (incl brokers).
• Engage with key prospects and support regional teams in converting Malaysia-originated opportunities.
• Capture broker/agent and clients feedback, competitor activity and market intelligence to refine go-to-market strategy.

APAC Surety Regional & Operations Contribution

• Assist APAC Surety regional operations:
• Work with Surety Operations to digitize current Malaysia indigenous book to extent appropriate and possible.
• Provide local management support, assisting APAC Surety Regional Team.
• Help define the future operating model, process split between underwriting and operations, and role clarity for junior and senior resources.
• Participate in strategic projects, automation initiatives and cross-functional APAC Surety planning.
• Support wider APAC Surety initiatives under direction and support of APAC Regional team. In time, contribute to APAC Surety activities in Asia:
• Assist HOS & Regional Underwriting Manager in specific markets.
• Market R&D – surety market knowledge, regulatory environment, ID local surety participants / issuers.
• Local broker engagement to drive strategy and ID prospects.
• Engage with key prospects to “sell” Chubb Surety proposition.
• Facilitate underwriting of new business by APAC Surety regional team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, Law, Actuarial Science, Engineering or related discipline; professional insurance qualifications are advantageous.
• Minimum 7-10 years of relevant experience in surety, credit insurance, banking, corporate credit, specialty underwriting or commercial insurance.
• Prior people management or functional leadership experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of financial statements, credit assessment, bond structures, indemnity arrangements and commercial contract risk.
• Established Malaysian broker/client relationships strongly preferred; regional APAC exposure advantageous.
• Fluent written and spoken English; Bahasa Malaysia and additional Asian language capability advantageous.