Chief Operating Officer, APAC

Canopius Group; Singapore; On-site; SGD 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the insurance sector is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to drive operational excellence across the APAC region. This role involves strategic leadership, operational transformation, and collaboration with various teams to achieve business objectives. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in insurance or financial services, a proven track record in operational leadership, and a commitment to fostering an inclusive culture.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in insurance or financial services with operational leadership roles in Singapore or APAC.
• Proven track record of delivering operational transformation.
• Experience managing external vendors and outsourcers.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and manage an APAC & Group Target Operating Model.
• Drive process simplification, automation, digitization, and straight-through processing.
• Champion the adoption of digital tools and platforms across the operations value chain.

Skills

Leadership

Project Management

Operational Transformation

Client Focus

Stakeholder Management

Job description

Job Description

The primary focus of this role is to drive operational professionalism and deliver effective and efficient operational activities, ensuring that all outcomes support the strategic objectives of the APAC business and the Group.

The COO will play a critical role in shaping and delivering strategic operations initiatives, with a focus on fostering a culture of continuous improvement aimed at operational excellence and sustainable long-term efficiency. This role will be the principal engagement partner with Group Operations, Change, and IT teams for the APAC business, leveraging technology solutions, shared services, and innovation. The COO will be an active member of the APAC Executive Committee and the Group COO Leadership team. The role may require the holder to be a Senior Management function and must be acceptable to Lloyd’s regulators.

An active member of the APAC Executive Committee (“Exco”), this individual will demonstrate strong leadership, collaborate effectively with other leadership team members to support and drive the delivery of the APAC business unit’s goals. They will provide input on strategic issues beyond Operations and support the APAC CEO.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

1. Lead, develop, and manage an APAC & Group Target Operating Model, ensuring a cost-effective operational delivery platform for APAC.
2. Drive process simplification, automation, digitization, and straight-through processing to enhance operational efficiency and user/distributor experience.
3. Ensure all operational processes comply with regulatory requirements, Group policies, and internal control frameworks.
4. Lead business continuity planning and operational resilience efforts, including cyber, fraud, and outsourcing risk management.
5. Champion the adoption of digital tools and platforms across the operations value chain.
6. Ensure employees have the right tools and equipment to perform efficiently and effectively.
7. Embed Lean, Agile, or Continuous Improvement practices to foster a culture of operational excellence.
8. Monitor SLAs and third-party service vendors to ensure performance according to reporting metrics.
9. Manage budgets in line with vendor and expense management expectations.
10. Contribute to the Group change agenda and identify APAC-specific priorities, including cross-functional programs and change initiatives, securing necessary resources.
11. Ensure data and IT system strategies are governed appropriately to maintain process robustness, controls, software integrity, and data quality.
12. Drive improvements in data standards and quality across the APAC Business.
13. Coordinate with Group Shared Services & Operations to leverage operational growth needs with scalable, cost-efficient solutions.
14. Support the CEO in ensuring adequate resources, knowledge, and controls for first-line defense, including training on compliance policies and procedures.
15. Manage, motivate, and develop team members, overseeing goal setting, development plans, and appraisals.
16. Regularly communicate operational and IT developments and challenges internally and with the London Market.
17. Promote Canopius values and an inclusive culture.

Qualifications

Requirements

• Extensive experience in insurance or financial services with operational leadership roles in Singapore or APAC.
• Proven track record of delivering operational transformation.
• Experience in defining, articulating, and implementing large-scale insurance operating systems aligned with strategic business objectives.
• Leadership and project management experience across multiple stakeholders, teams, and vendors such as Underwriting, Claims, Finance, Compliance, Product, HR, Delegated Underwriting Authority, Pricing, and Operations.
• Experience managing external vendors and outsourcers, including accountability for KPIs.
• Self-motivated, driven, and experienced in leading high-performing teams.
• High integrity and alignment with Canopius core values.

Competencies

• Articulating the Ambition
• Adapting to Change
• Driving for Excellence
• Working in Teams
• Building internal networks and navigating political relations
• Influencing Stakeholders
• Fostering Innovation
• Client Focus
• Developing Talent
• Inclusive Leadership