Pacific Life Re has announced two senior appointments in Asia as part of its efforts to expand its life and health reinsurance operations in the region.
Wallace Ong (pictured above, left), who has led the Southeast Asia and China protection teams for the past 18 months, will move into a newly created position as head of business proposition and enablement, protection, Asia.
In his new role, Ong will focus on refining the company’s value proposition and advancing market readiness initiatives across Asian markets. The position is part of the company’s broader plan to expand its regional footprint and enhance offerings to clients.
Succeeding Ong, Spenser Chen (pictured above, right) has been named head of SEA, protection, Asia. Chen has more than 15 years of experience in consulting, insurance, and reinsurance across Southeast Asia, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
He will oversee cross-functional teams with a focus on strengthening client relationships, developing market-specific solutions, and increasing the company’s presence in Southeast Asia.
Vasan Errakiah, managing director, protection, Asia, said the changes will help the company align more closely with client priorities in the region.
“Wallace’s new role will help us to sharpen our strategic focus and bring greater consistency to how we deliver value across markets, while Spenser’s appointment ensures strong continuity and leadership in Southeast Asia, a region that remains central to our long-term ambitions,” Errakiah said.
The appointments follow a broader restructuring at Pacific Life Re, which in 2024 shifted from a geography-based to a product-focused model, organizing its operations around two primary business lines: protection and savings & retirement.
Alongside these changes, the company made other regional leadership moves, including naming Kenichi Kim as head of South Korea operations in 2025, where he is tasked with driving market growth after previously working in the client solutions team.
In Europe and North America, Andrew Murphy took on the role of managing director for the new Capital Solutions business, with Sarah Cheng succeeding him in leading protection operations for those markets.
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