Greg Martin joins EastWest Ageas as its Chief Distribution and Marketing Officer. The University College London alumni brings with him over 28 years of consulting and financial services experience across Asia Pacific to the fast-rising insurance company. Having worked in the Philippines in various C-suite positions over many years, Greg is ready to tackle the challenges and opportunities for the company.
“EastWest Ageas is an impressive partnership business. We have a terrific bank partner in East West Bank, a fast-developing agency team, and skilled and experienced head office professionals. We will continue to grow the business to ensure it is a customer-centric, respected, and top player in the market,” he shares.
Multinational experience
Greg’s appointment marks the strategic union of two teams to ensure that EastWest Ageas will be a larger and more sustainable organization. Marketing and Distribution have been Greg’s focus through the years, where he has established and led high-performing teams from Manila, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Sydney, Tokyo, and Singapore for multinational firms and start-ups.
He has extensive experience directing multiple distribution channels, including traditional, hybrid, and digital. His focus on customer understanding and experience, as well as his penchant for discovering market differentiators and opportunities, all point to an exciting future for EastWest Ageas.
People-first approach
One of the critical factors for a business to succeed is to understand and appreciate the importance of culture. Every market and every country has a different approach and nuances that need to be factored into every decision. “Customer experience isn’t one size fits all,” Greg said. “You need to work hard to truly listen to and understand your various customers and ensure they have the best experience possible.”
As Greg takes on the role, he shares one crucial must-do he has learned from years of working across the region that has allowed him to succeed: “Leaders think strategically and should be able to put themselves in the shoes of their agents, employees, and customers. Listen well to them, identify their needs, and prioritize.”
The ability to walk with the people you serve by actively listening to them and understanding them allows you to gain valuable insight that would otherwise go unnoticed. Greg shares that he regularly meets with customers to better find out how to serve them.
“In fact, my very first meeting for EastWest Ageas was with a customer,” he shares.
Active leadership
As a leader, Greg takes cues from several global leaders in various fields for inspiration. However, his real admiration is reserved for the leaders who get things done. He cites the agency leaders who drive their teams to sales success and the advisors who give their customers the service and advice they need. It’s people who have a clear understanding of their purpose and collaborate to get things done.
“We are surrounded by leaders. We just need to guide them with the right strategy and provide them with the right tools and environment to succeed,” he shares.
Greg stresses that for any organization to succeed, it should have a clear purpose for its existence and growth that is tied to a clear and deliverable differentiation to compete. And the key to this is ensuring the right people are front and center of the business.