Manulife names chief brand and experience officer, Asia

Manulife has promoted Sonali Verma (pictured) to chief brand and experience officer, Asia, expanding her remit to lead the insurer's brand, customer experience and content strategy across all its markets in the region.

In her new role, Verma will oversee brand and customer experience initiatives across Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar and China.

She will also be responsible for shaping how the Manulife brand is experienced across Asia, leveraging curated digital and offline content while designing customer journeys powered by AI and next-generation technologies.

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The appointment comes as Manulife continues to sharpen its focus on customer-centric experiences across Asia, with Verma tasked with building stronger brand advocacy and delivering more personalised customer interactions across markets.

Verma has been with Manulife for more than 12 years, holding a range of regional and market leadership positions spanning marketing, customer experience, distribution and digital innovation.

Most recently, she served as chief marketing officer at Manulife Philippines, where she led the company's marketing strategy, customer experience design and digital initiatives.

She has also held roles including head of digital experience and innovation, regional bancassurance; Asia head, client centricity; and head of digital bancassurance, Asia.

Before joining Manulife, Verma spent more than eight years at Citibank Singapore, where she was head of customer experience.

Reflecting on her journey, Verma said one of the biggest lessons from her time at Manulife has been learning to adapt to the rapidly evolving banking, financial services and insurance landscape across Asia.

Looking ahead, she said she is focused on elevating customer experiences across the region.

"I'm excited to orchestrate the next level of customers' micro-moment experiences. Manulife is already number one in customer preference and advocacy in several markets. The next objective is to make that come true for almost all markets," she said.

In tandem, Manulife Philippines has appointed Joy Joy Ann Concepcion as its new chief marketing officer, effective 27 April 2026.

Concepcion joins the executive committee and will oversee a wide-ranging remit that brings together brand and advertising, content and social media, performance marketing, propositions, digital platforms, AI and growth marketing, customer experience, digital transformation, and corporate social responsibility.

Concepcion has been with Manulife Philippines since 2017, holding multiple leadership roles within the marketing organisation.

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