HONG KONG: Friends Provident International is pleased to announce the promotion of James Tan to the role of managing director, the first in such position to be based in Hong Kong.

He will be responsible for overseeing Friends Provident’s business, which has its core markets in Asia and the Middle East.

Tan will continue to report to John Van Der Wielen, who is taking on wider responsibilities within the Friends Life Group as the CEO for both the international and UK divisions.

“I am delighted to promote Tan. This demonstrates the strong pool of talent within Friends Provident International. The appointment... marks another step in the development of the company’s strategy to concentrate on its markets in Asia,” Van Der Wielen said.

“I am honoured by this promotion and I will look forward to continue working closely with [Van Der Wielen]. I am excited about the opportunities for this broader role, which builds on the business strategy we outlined to the markets last year,” Tan said.

Tan joined the business in June 2012 as general manager for Asia and the Middle East. With a diverse set of experiences earned through leadership positions in Hong Kong, Singapore and the US, Tan brings 19 years of experience in the insurance and banking industries to his new role.

Prior to joining Friends Life, Tan held the position of group head for AIA’s partner distribution in Hong Kong. He also served as the global head of bancassurance at Standard Chartered for seven years.

Originally from Singapore, Tan holds a master’s degree in actuarial science from Georgia State University in the US, and an MBA from the University of California Los Angeles and the National University of Singapore (Singapore). He is fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. Originally from Singapore, Tan is married with three children.