Tough love leader

AIA's new group chief Ng Keng Hooi talks about the tough calls he's had to make in his career, and doing right by people.

Published Fri, Aug 25, 2017 · 09:50 PM

Raffles Conversation

THE initial shock and surprise at the March 13 announcement that insurer AIA's then group chief Mark Tucker was leaving and would be succeeded by his trusted aide of many years, Ng Keng Hooi, was most pointedly reflected in the company's share price.

Listed in Hong Kong, the group's shares fell three per cent that day and hit a low of HK$48.45 the next. Buoyed by favourable market conditions, AIA's stock has since recovered ground and is now trading above HK$60.

But as 62-year-old Mr Ng, now group chief executive and president, sees it, he would have been "foolish" to expect otherwise about the market reaction. "I'm not known outside of Malaysia and Singapore...In people's minds (it) was 'who's this guy?'"

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