Mark Saunders is a Group Executive member of AIA Group Ltd and is responsible for the Group’s strategy and corporate development, including M&A and corporate transactions for the Group.

He drives the strategic evolution of AIA in moving beyond being a transactional payer to be a partner for life which not only provides financial protection when it’s needed most but also actively manages risk through improving people’s wellbeing and healthcare outcomes. He is also responsible for the Group’s Health businesses, across all markets, driving the development of the differentiated strategic framework and ecosystem of partners to improve people’s wellbeing and helping them be healthier for longer by supporting them on their healthcare journeys through stages of predict, prevent, diagnose, treat and recover.

With a market cap in excess of US$125 billion, AIA is the largest listed pure life and health insurer in the world. Joining the Group Executive at AIA in 2014 as Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer, Mr Saunders is a Board Director of various companies within the Group, has been responsible for the Group’s Corporate Solutions, Group Life and Health, business across all 18 markets and has also served as Group Chief Marketing Officer bringing together Strategy and Marketing centred around Customer Propositions driving evolution of the business.

1997-2014: Managing Director, Towers Watson, Asia-Pacific Insurance Sector & Hong Kong office, oldest and largest Asia business, and Board member of various entities. Driving consulting to leading insurers and corporations, the insurance consulting business grew twenty-fold to undisputed market leader in Asia-Pacific. With widely recognised expertise in strategy and determining, and helping drive sustainable growth of, the economic value of insurers, he established a distinctive leadership position providing Expert Opinions in IPOs of major insurers in Asia.

1987-1997: UK insurer CMI, working in Asia from 1989 becoming Hong Kong CEO and turning around the business into one with sustained double digit profitable growth. Executive Director and Board Member of the Isle of Man-based international life insurance operations of Clerical Medical (CMI) and its joint venture life insurer in Korea (Coryo-CM).

Mr Saunders has been a Trusted Advisor of Boards and Board Committees of leading insurers in Asia holding numerous Executive and INED Board positions and memberships of a multitude of insurance-related, actuarial, regulatory and professional committees. He is a member of Hong Kong’s Financial Services Development Council New Business Committee and was a member of the HKSAR Government Financial Secretary’s FSTB Working Group on Long Term Fiscal Planning and the statutory body, Insurance Advisory Committee.

Prior to moving to Hong Kong he was in the UK with Clerical Medical (CMI) and before that following a BSc Honours in Mathematics and a subsequent PGCE in Mathematics, Information Technology, and Physical Education, was a schoolmaster and amateur boxing trainer. His personal focus on addressing social problems is helping people be healthier for longer and improving their physical and mental wellbeing through active involvement in sports and he currently coaches various children’s rugby and football teams in Hong Kong actively encouraging family involvement. He is a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and Fellow of five other professional actuarial bodies.