FWD Insurance

Supporting the development of multiple generations of leaders across Asia

Over the past four years, FWD Insurance (“FWD”) has supported Common Purpose in delivering leadership programmes for a different generation of leaders: from students in universities to senior leaders in organizations and society.

"FWD is building a pan-Asian insurance business and ASEAN is crucial for our growth, so the development of leadership in this region really resonates with us,” shares Huynh Thanh Phong, Group CEO of FWD Insurance. Phong continues on to say that the company is glad to have partnered with Common Purpose in developing leaders at every level.

 

The programme can be a huge stimulus and catalyst in developing the next level of thinking

 

Bringing together senior leaders in the region

Last year, FWD sponsored the ASEAN Leaders Programme, an annual programme that brings together senior leaders from across the Southeast Asian region. The programme helps leaders in the region build strong connections, share knowledge, and develop the Cultural Intelligence required to grow ASEAN’s cities.

Abhishek Bhatia, Group Chief Officer (New Business Models) for FWD believes that leaders throughout the ASEAN region face common challenges and a programme like this gives them the opportunity to collaborate on solutions. He adds, “If leaders join with open minds and a willingness to challenge the preconceived notions and mental models that we have, the programme can be a huge stimulus and catalyst in developing the next level of thinking.”

 

Supporting next generation leaders

In addition to partnering with Common Purpose on programmes for senior leaders, FWD has also sponsored Common Purpose student programmes that develop the next generation of leaders.

In 2019, FWD supported four Global Leader Experience (GLE) programmes across Asia. A total of 320 students across Bangkok, Jakarta, Hong Kong and Ho Chi Minh City participated in the programmes.

The GLE programmes enabled FWD leaders to work with students as they tackled a challenge within their city. For the FWD team, it provided a unique insight into this next generation of global leaders, while the students gained a hugely powerful coaching opportunity from insurance industry professionals.

As a result of the programme’s immersive and experiential learning techniques, students have developed, and are able to demonstrate, the skills and capabilities required to be successful in the 21st century.

“Problem-solving has a lot to deal with the approach with which we look at the problem at hand. Working with a group of diverse people, I came to understand that embracing the different aspects of your team and putting together the positive sides of your team complex problems can be broken down into simple task executable by a few members thereby contributing to a way of solving the problem. This I learned through the Common Purpose programme.”
DANIEL YAMOAH AGYEMANG, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

 

Programme assessment results:

ASEAN Leaders Programme:
90% recognize the value of bringing in wider perspectives when making key decisions
96% have developed a better network of peers
86% are better able to create conditions for innovation to occur
88% feel better prepared to lead a diverse team

Student programmes:
98% became more empathetic by deepening their understanding of other cultures
98% became more agile by working with difference
97% became more influential by solving complex problems
320 students participated in the programmes

 

“I got the great opportunity to work with teammates that were from a broad range of cultures as well as majors in the university. I learned that every culture has their own way of working, communicating, having fun and it’s up to us to prepare ourselves to deal with those situations.”
SETHAREACH SOK, Participant, Panyapiwat Institute of Management (Bangkok)

 

“It’s been great to support Common Purpose and its primary objective of developing leaders who can cross boundaries. We have been continually impressed with the quality of students that we’ve met. They are a unique network of students – the next generation of global leaders, who we wouldn’t normally be able to access. Through programmes like these, we will be able to equip the next generation with the skills they need to lead.”
MERVIN POBRE, Chief of Staff, FWD Philippines

 

“It’s been a pleasure working with Common Purpose to contribute our part in developing the young future leaders. The programme helped the students get exposure to the city, the organizations and its people and at the same time work together as a team and learn much more about themselves.”
VO THI KIM LOAN, Associate Director - Talent & Organizational Development FWD Vietnam