The appointment is effective January 06, and Thio reports to Tobias Frenz, Munich Re’s managing director, life & health for Southeast Asia.
Before joining Munich Re, Thio was head of life technical & customer care at Zurich Insurance Malaysia, where she managed the overall technical and operational functions, as well as having oversight on select activities of the company. She has more than 28 years of experience in the insurance industry, and is a fellow of the UK Institute & Faculty of Actuaries, as well as a fellow of the Actuarial Society of Malaysia.
According to a statement by Munich Re, Malaysia is the largest family takaful market in the world, embedded in a developed Islamic financial system under Bank Negara Malaysia that provides a sustainable environment for growth in view of the low takaful penetration worldwide.
“Malaysia is an important market for Munich Re and we are committed to serving clients from here. With Serena joining the team, we are well placed to serve our family takaful clients, as she brings on board a wealth of experience and capabilities,” said Tobias Frenz, Munich Re’s managing director, life & health for Southeast Asia.
“We have also seen significant advancements by our conventional life insurance clients in the areas of underwriting & claims automation, data analytics and product innovation that have yet to be fully embraced by takaful operators. Serena will assist our takaful clients to close this gap,” Frenz added.
