Exit interview: Colin Chan closes a 30-year chapter at Great Eastern

After more than 30 years with Great Eastern, Colin Chan (pictured) has stepped down from his role as managing director, group marketing. Chan began his career with Great Eastern in 1994 in various actuarial positions before moving into marketing and progressing through product and leadership roles over the years.

Across his career, Chan was involved in a number of notable initiatives at Great Eastern. This includes introducing an investment-linked product suite in the mid-1990s, setting up the accident and health department, launching the 'Live great' programme, creating the Great Eastern Women’s Run, reorganising the marketing function toward customer centricity, establishing the 'Net promoter system', building digital marketing capabilities, and leading brand work including the 'Reach for great' strategy and the August 2025 brand relaunch.

From actuarial rigour to customer-centred marketing

In conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Chan emphasised the influence of his actuarial background on his leadership. “Starting my career as an actuary gave me an invaluable foundation in analytical rigour and risk management,” he said. “Product development was about translating technical complexity into customer value. I learned that the best products aren't necessarily the most sophisticated from an actuarial perspective, they're the ones that solve real customer problems in simple, accessible ways, and resonate with people.”

“As I look back, I realised that my path from actuarial science through product development to marketing leadership came about because I made it my purpose to do what I could to help get more people understand insurance and take actions to benefit from what insurance offers,” he added, explaining that despite the importance of insurance as a lifeline for unforeseen circumstances, it does not offer immediate gratification, leaving room for much to be done in order to gather people's interest and attention.

On marketing itself, Chan was clear:

Great marketing isn't about clever taglines or flashy campaigns. It's about understanding customers deeply, designing propositions that meet their needs, and communicating value authentically.

He described how product thinking and storytelling needed to work together. His actuarial background taught him to respect data and analytics; his product experience taught him how to design for customer needs; and marketing taught him the power of storytelling and emotional connection.

"In my years leading the marketing function, the constant pursuit has been to foster collaboration no just writhing the marketing function, but across teams— actuaries, marketers, product managers, distributors, operations and IT. The goal is for all of us to speak a common language of customer value and this journey continues for the organisation."

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On his legacy, handover and advice to future leaders

When asked what he hopes his legacy at Great Eastern will be, Chan said he wants to be remembered for having grown the marketing and communications capabilities for the insurance company, being a customer advocate, and the recent comprehensive brand refresh, as well as for developing and extending Great Eastern's branding and marketing across the region to reach new customer segments. 

He also cited “championing staff volunteerism and fund-raising initiatives” and "having a strong collaborative spirit” as areas he hopes will endure. "And I hope my journey from actuarial science to marketing leadership will inspire others to embrace unconventional career paths, to see the value in diverse experiences, and to recognise that the best leaders are often those who've walked multiple paths."

On handing over to Kwek-Perroy Li Choo (pictured), Chan shared a message he had sent to the newly appointed managing director, group integrated propositions and platforms. “Li Choo, as I pass the baton to you, I do so with Great confidence and optimism. You have inherited an extraordinary team and have an integrated function positioned for success," he said. "Together with your fresh perspectives, unique experiences and vision I’m sure you'll not just build on what we've created but take it to a level way beyond what we could have thought of before."

Chan also shared that throughout the month-long handover period, he has seen Kwek-Perroy spend time to understand the structures in place, and is heartened by her interest to build on what his team has put in place over the years. 

His advice to aspiring marketers and leaders is practical and wide-ranging. He encouraged them to embrace diverse experiences, master fundamentals before innovating, making customer empathy a priority, to never stop learning, and to make data a friend but placing importance on intuition too.

"It is also crucial to build teams, not empires. The teams I've built are my proudest achievement. One should focus on developing people, creating psychological safety for innovation, and build collaborative cultures," said Chan. He also urged marketers to value collaboration and purpose in their work. “Our biggest collaborators are our agents and advisors who are on the front lines, understanding customer needs and concerns in ways we never can from head office,” he said. “Build propositions together, listen to their feedback, and recognise that their success, is also your team's success.”

Above all, he reminded marketers to view their role as one of service and integrity. He added: 

In an industry built on trust, your reputation is your most valuable asset. Make decisions you can defend not just legally or commercially, but morally.

On his immediate plans, Chan told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that he is looking forward to a break, to take a step back, refocus and discern what the future has planned for him. 

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