The firm is committed to hiring top talent to push its growth agenda.

Manulife Hong Kong has appointed Thaddeus Yu as chief strategy officer and Alice Li as chief communications officer for its Hong Kong and Macau operations.

As members of Manulife Hong Kong's senior management team, both executives report directly to Patrick Graham, chief executive officer of Manulife Hong Kong and Macau, the firm said in a statement this week.

Yu (pictured) is succeeding Carrie Tong in the role, who was recently appointed as chief operations officer for Hong Kong and Macau. In his new role, Yu is responsible for setting the overall strategic priorities of the Hong Kong and Macau business, ensuring prudent choices, and executing plans aligned with the company's priorities. He is also in charge of assessing necessary and effective changes to the company's business model to ensure that it stays on course to achieve its strategic objectives.

A qualified actuary with over 15 years of experience in various local and regional positions at Cigna, AIA, and Bank of Montreal Insurance, Yu joined Manulife's Asia Strategy team in 2021. During his time in his previous position, he led strategy development, spearheaded critical business initiatives, and provided guidance on strategic projects while also managing the Asia CEO office. His extensive expertise in actuarial, health, and strategy domains will be pivotal in accelerating the growth of Manulife's business in Hong Kong and Macau, the firm said.

Yu has a bachelor of mathematics in actuarial science and statistics from the University of Waterloo and is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA). He also holds a naster of economics from the University of Hong Kong and a master of laws from the University of London.

Li’s responsibilities include leading strategy development for external and internal communication goals, building the corporate reputation and a culture of pride, and promoting the company's global Impact Agenda, aligned with Manulife’s global communications team and strategy.

With more than two decades of experience in corporate and marketing communications, Ms Li is a seasoned professional who joined Manulife in 2020. Since then, she has made significant strides in the company’s communication strategy and impact. Prior to Manulife, her career spanned diverse industries, including energy, telecommunications, IT, and insurance, as she held senior positions with global brands such as Shell, SmarTone-Vodafone, Microsoft, and AXA.

Ms Li graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University with a bachelor’s degree in language and communication. She also holds a master of business administration from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Patrick Graham, CEO of Manulife Hong Kong and Macau, said, “With their extensive knowledge of our company's strategic priorities and their functional expertise, I am confident that the talented new members of our senior management team will be pivotal in driving us towards achieving our ambitions in Hong Kong, Macau and the broader GBA markets as we embark on the next phase of our growth agenda. Their appointments also highlight our ongoing commitment to harnessing top talent through an active leadership development pipeline."