BWMA Juror

Our honorable Jurors for 2020

The 2021 jurors will be announced in September 2021.

Agnes Koon, MH

Chief Executive, KSY Speciality Ltd

Alexandra Tracy

Founder and President, Hoi Ping Ventures

Arvind Sundaresan

Head - FSI, Digital Business Services – APJ, SAP Asia Private Limited

Chris Hewison

Insurance Partner, Hong Kong PwC

Chris Kyme

Co-founder & Creative Director, Kymechow

David Piesse

Chairman, International Insurance Society Global Ambassador Program

Deric Wong

CEO, Omnicom Media Group Hong Kong

Elsa Pau

CEO, WealthAsia Group

Marc Baloch

Founder & Managing Director, Resonance Asia

Michael Lamb

Marketing Director at CCW Global

Roger Steel

Managing Director, Hong Kong & Macau, Willis Towers Watson

Wyman Leung M.Phil, FRM

Chief Investment Officer, AMG Financial Group
Agnes Koon, MH
Chief Executive
KSY Speciality
Agnes Koon, MH
Chief Executive, KSY Speciality Ltd
Mrs. Agnes Koon, MH, is the Chief Executive of KSY Speciality Ltd., an insurance broker and consultant on all lines of general & life insurances, focuses on Property and Casualty, Employees Benefits, Individual Medical & Life/Saving Plan Insurances.
Agnes Koon, MH
Chief Executive, KSY Speciality Ltd
Mrs. Agnes Koon, MH, is the Chief Executive of KSY Speciality Ltd., an insurance broker and consultant on all lines of general & life insurances, focuses on Property and Casualty, Employees Benefits, Individual Medical & Life/Saving Plan Insurances.

The Consumer Ratings are aggregated scores derived from “Social Listening" and “Customer Feedback." Benchmark's Social Listening is a breakthrough methodology that involves deep-learning-based narrative analytics that removes the inherent bias of social listening tools and brand trackers for better-correlated performance. The analysis is cut by demographic, point in the purchase funnel, sentiment, NPS, and narrative source. Additional Customer Feedback is Benchmark's research initiatives using an online survey and utilizing Benchmark’s questionnaire approach. The exercise allows the index to ascertain insights into active insurance relationships of clients, prospective or non-prospective insurance (future) relationships of clients, their overall perception or experiences, awareness, and exposure to the Insurance landscape.

The Consumer Ratings – The highest scoring company of each category will be the award recipient and be awarded a 5-Star rating:
5-Star Rating ★★★★★ The top 10% of the performers in each category will be rated five stars, and these products or service levels are considered “Best of the Best."
4-Star Rating ★★★★ , The top 11-35%% of the performers in each category, will be rated four stars, and these products or service levels are considered “Better than Most."
3-Star Rating ★★★ The top 36-65% of the performers in each category will be rated three stars, and these products or service levels are considered “Average."
“The Rest" are performers scoring below 65% in each category will be rated as “the rest of the pack.”

A critical process to hear directly from vertical experts in digital, client servicing, sustainability, governance and products, and rebut submission materials that are misunderstood. An exchange platform for brokers and experts to better understand the metrics and KPIs behind the drivers for products and service level capabilities and receive a summary of expert reviews and findings.

The BENCHMARK’s rating programs are not about simply handing out a rating or a trophy — they are programs designed to act on behalf of the customers to validate what is going behind the scenes of the providers and helping providers do better each year. The process removes the sugar-coating and prettification and digs deeply into the providers’ operations, values, and practices. The process also holds the companies accountable for their behavior, and by offering them a chance to access the online KPI Dashboard that covers the industry’s market landscape, client demand assessment, and their own competency assessment, the companies can build on their strength and bridge the gaps of their shortcomings.

The process for Insurance providers involves five simple stages:
1.  Choose the Categories you are either confident to compete in or gather industry insight into your capability in the area.
2.  After confirming the entries, you will answer a standard questionnaire in your submission portal. It would be wise to give examples and to attach relevant appendices, videos, and screen captures.
3.  During the implementation of the competition, BENCHMARK conducts social listening and customer feedback with thousands of respondents and netizens over 70+ social media platforms. The study reflects the voices of Active Clients, Considering and Non-Considering Clients regarding their satisfaction levels, perceptions of the firm, selection drivers, and what drives them away.
4.  The findings from active practitioners will participate in the survey to gather insights into the agents’ sentiments towards the industry, their firm and rivals, and their attitudes towards clients and their firms.
5.  An independent judging panel comprising over 30 independent consultants and industry veterans across the region with valuable industry insights will contribute to the decision-making process while referencing our proprietary interactive survey results that allow for a deeper dive into the customers’ minds.
6.  You will then be invited to participate in a closed-door review session with our senior committee member to discuss the feedback. You will be offered a 7-day rebuttal window to address any missing information or misinterpretation of the information you provided in your submissions.
7.  The very kind jurors will review the additional information you provide and offer their final judgment and scores.

Entry Opens:

June 21, 2021

Close of Early Bird Offer:

July 16, 2021

Close of Entry:

July 23, 2021

Submission Deadline:

August 31, 2021

Judging Period:

September 2021

Rebuttal Sessions:

Early October 2021

Results Announcement:

Late October 2021

Media Outreach:

November 2021

Gala Dinner:

Early December 2021 (subject to local regulations)          

Social Media Campaign

January to February, 2022

Participation Fees:

Entry per category – Early Bird

USD 1,350 (on or before July 16)

Regular price per category

USD 1,650 (after July 16)

The Benchmark Sustainable Wealth Forum is a knowledge exchange where industry leaders and winners of the Benchmark awards are featured. The Forum covers the financial eco-system and discovers the inside out of the providers’ practices that lead to a more sustainable industry through responsible and ethical investing in protecting the investors across multiple generations. The inaugural series covers the Winners at the Benchmark Wealth Management Awards of 2020. The topics covered in the Insurance series include topics from Product Proposition, Quality of Advice, Client Journey, Digital and Brand Value.

Between March and May of this year, we have helped seven winning companies gain over 200,000 impressions per interview on LinkedIn and Facebook with an average engagement rate of 3.16% compared to the market average of 2%.

Agnes Koon, MH

KSY Speciality
Chief Executive

Mrs. Agnes Koon, MH, is the Chief Executive of KSY Speciality Ltd., an insurance broker and consultant on all lines of general & life insurances, focuses on Property and Casualty, Employees Benefits, Individual Medical & Life/Saving Plan Insurances. KSY is a Lloyd’s Coverholder in Specie & Fine Art Insurances. Mrs Koon was the first lady Chairman of HK Federation of Insurers 2008-09. She was previously with Jardines; HSBC Insurance and was a founding member of Falcon Insurance in 1998.

She has been serving on various Statutory/Advisory Committees –including Insurance Authority Process Review Panel, Mandatory Provident Fund Authority Process Review Panel, Our Hong Kong Foundation Advisor; Vetting Committee Chairman & Member of the Pilot Programme to Enhance Talent Training for Insurance Sector Steering Committee; Smart City Consortium Technical Advisor; HKMC Annuity Ltd Non-executive Director; Chairman of Insurance Training Board of VTC; Anti-Money Laundering & Counter Terrorist Financing (Financial Institutions) Review Tribunal; Mandatory Provident Fund Scheme Advisory Committee; Deputy Chairman of the Court of Lingnan University; ICAC Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations. She is Hon President & Director of All China Women’s Federation HK Delegates Association, Former President of Zonta Club of Kowloon and Director & former President of HK Women Professionals and Entrepreneurs Association. She was awarded the Medal of Honour 2017; Honorary Fellowship of the Vocational Training Council 2018; Outstanding Business Women 2017 and “Top 100 Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs in China 2007”.

Alexandra Tracy

Hoi Ping Ventures
Founder and President

Alexandra Boakes Tracy is President of Hoi Ping Ventures in Hong Kong, which she founded to provide research and consulting on green finance and sustainable investment in Asian emerging markets.

Alexandra began her career as an investment banker in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, and then ran a number of start up businesses, including a software company and a wealth management information business.  Following the sale of the latter, she was for several years Vice President – Strategy at First Eastern Investment Group, an independent private investment group in Hong Kong.

From 2013 to 2019, Alexandra was a member of the Listing Committee of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.  From 2016 to 2019, she also acted as the Active Private Sector Observer to the United Nations Green Climate Fund.  She is currently a director of the Climate Markets & Investment Association in the UK and a member of the Financial Services Business Council of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.  She is also an Advisor to the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology’s Asian Family Business Research Centre, Friends of the Earth Hong Kong and the NDCI.org climate commitment community.

Alexandra was non executive Chairman of the Association for Sustainable & Responsible Investment in Asia for six years, stepping down in 2015, and was instrumental in establishing the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change during this period.  She sits on a number of corporate and non profit boards in Hong Kong, including Tom Hugh Limited, where she is non executive Chairman, and the Asia Pacific Investors Cooperation.

Alexandra speaks and writes regularly on sustainable finance, development and infrastructure issues.  She has an MBA from the Harvard Business School and MA degrees from Yale University and Cambridge University.

Arvind Sundaresan

SAP Asia Private Limited
Head - FSI, Digital Business Services – APJ

Arvind has over 18+ years of Industry experience, significant portion of which has been with consulting, technology and outsourcing firms working for leading enterprises having presence in APAC. In the past, Arvind Sundaresan while he was heading Financial Services Sales and Client Services team @Capgemini for APAC and Middle East, was spokesperson on their World Wealth Report here in Asia based out of Hong Kong. 

Arvind is well known in FinTech/ InsurTech marketplace as well as a thought leader within Financial Services in helping firms in their digital transformation journey.  

Having lived and worked in Countries including Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore other than India, he is very much glued in regional trends, practices and developments in the financial services and technology space.  

Chris Hewison

Hong Kong PwC
Insurance Partner

Chris Hewison is a partner in PwC’s Hong Kong’s Financial Services business and has over 18 years’ experience specialising in the insurance sector. He has provided accounting and advisory support to a wide range of life and non-life insurance clients, mutuals, reinsurers and P&I Clubs, principally in the UK and Hong Kong. He also has experience of  working in several countries around Asia, most notably Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

Chris has significant experience in the provision of assurance services, including HKFRS/IFRS statutory audits, and insurance regulatory matters. He also has extensive experience in advising clients across a broad range of topics, including product design, governance, business process improvement and Sarbanes Oxley controls reporting.

He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA).

Chris Kyme

Kymechow
Co Founder / Creative Director

Chris has worked in advertising for over 20 years, starting as a copywriter with FCB London in the early 1980s. In 1987, he joined Leo Burnett in Hong Kong, became executive creative director of Grey , then Regional Creative Director Asia, for FCB, before joining Eight Partnership as Creative Partner.

Chris was voted Singapore Ad Man of the Year in 2001, has been Chairman of the Hong Kong 4As awards several times, and is a regular presenter and speaker on the Asian advertising and marketing circuit.

He now runs his own creative agency Kymechow.

David Piesse

International Insurance Society Global Ambassador program
Chairman

David Piesse is the Chairman of the International Insurance Society Global Ambassador program. He is also on the advisory board of Guardtime one of the largest blockchain companies where he has led the first commercial blockchain Insurance adoption in the industry with EY.

An insurance and IT professional he has 40 years of experience in Insurance , risk management and Information technology spanning four continents. He started his career at Lloyd’s of London in an underwriting and broking capacity , spent 7 years with the United Nations as risk management and reinsurance consultant across 50 countries , was Global Head of Insurance for SUN Microsystems and Managing Director of Ultimate Risk Solutions for Economic Capital Modelling for insurers and reinsurers. He has qualifications with the British Insurance Society and the Chartered Industry.

Deric Wong

Omnicom Media Group Hong Kong
CEO

As the CEO of Omnicom Media Group Hong Kong, Deric oversees the Group’s business growth strategy, products, talent, and the value proposition of its agency brands – OMD and PHD, in Hong Kong.

Omnicom Media Group is one of the most extensive media communications and top marketing performance networks in Hong Kong. With a headcount of over 220 of Hong Kong’s most talented communications professionals, Omnicom Media Group delivers integrated media strategies, media investment management, content solutions, data analytics, and ad-tech consultancy for the most prolific brands.

Omnicom Media Group’s networks, OMD, and PHD are the most awarded in Hong Kong, having received multiple “Agency of The Year” titles and thousands of awards for their work across local and international awards platforms.

In Hong Kong, OMD & PHD are ranked the top two agencies according to the latest 2020 COMvergence report and are continuously recognized as “Media Agency of the year,” “Integrated Marketing Agency,” “Digital Agency,” “Programmatic Agency,” and “Performance Agency” and “Search Agency” by both Marketing Magazine and Campaign Asia – Pacific.

Having been with the Group since 2008, Deric has held various leadership roles across the agencies, including CEO of OMD Hong Kong and Managing Partner for both OMD China and Omnicom Media Group Hong Kong. He was elevated to the role of CEO for the Group in 2018 to lead the agencies on their continued success story in Hong Kong.

Deric was recently recognized in Campaigns 40 under 40 list as one of Asia-Pacific’s top rising talent of 2020.

Elsa Pau

WealthAsia Group
CEO

Elsa is a publisher, conference organizer and social entrepreneur, whose interest is to innovate and drive interesting propositions that benefit real change for the community. She is a finance industry veteran, Editor-in-Chief of BENCHMARK magazine and investment governor for a few family offices in Asia.

Prior to setting up WealthAsia, she was Managing Director at Tai Fook Wealth Management and group head at Allen Perkins Financial. Elsa is a popular conference moderator, business consultant, trainer and coach in the finance industry. She was once named by Asia Week as one of Asia’s Most Influential Women

Marc-Karim Baloch

Resonance Asia
Founder

Marc Baloch is the founder of Resonance Asia, a Hong Kong based and Asia wide operating executive search firm dedicated to build an ecosystem for Leadership in a changing Insurance market.

After more than 20 years in Executive Search with leading global search firms, supporting Insurers and Financial Services clients in their journey of transformation and solving crucial leadership challenges, Marc decided to open up Resonance Asia as Talent & Leadership partner in Asia.

Marc knows the Asian markets first-hand from Life in quite distinct parts in this region: 7 years in Tokyo, 2 years in Singapore and the past 10 years working out from Hong Kong.

He is fluent in German, English, Japanese and conversational in French and Romanian.

Marc believes in giving back to the community and is board director on the Hong Kong chapter of a charity dedicated to education and providing support to female scholars in Pakistan, called “DIL – Development in Literacy”.

Michael Lamb

CCW Global Limited
Marketing Director

Michael is the Marketing Director at leading bespoke insurance brokerage, CCW Global Limited. Working within Hong Kong’s insurance industry since 2006, Michael has, in his various roles, overseen the development of more than 25 leading industry websites as well as myriad tools intended to simplify insurance purchasing across the Asia-Pacific region. Specializing in SEO/SEM and Digital Marketing, Michael has a comprehensive understanding of the various uses of technology to drive business growth.

A consummate technophile with a background in Philosophy, Michael has featured on Expat Marketing.com for his unique and expansive digital practices and was an expert contributor to The Complete Guide to Google Adwords (2011) by Larisa Lambert. He has also been featured in leading periodicals including HR Magazine, Escape Artist, and Travelersdigest.com.

Roger Steel

Willis Towers Watson
Managing Director, Hong Kong and Macau

Roger Steel is the Managing Director of Willis Towers Watson Hong Kong and Macau. He has over 35 years of experience in senior roles in the insurance and consulting industry, including both country CEO and regional roles in life insurance and pensions. He has served on the boards of companies in Hong Kong, mainland China and Malaysia. As a former partner of a “Big Four” accounting and advisory firm, he has led major consulting projects and relationships across the region. Roger has served as Chief Executive / President / Executive Chairman of four life insurance companies in three countries. In his most recent role, he held regional responsibility for the growth strategies of a major life insurer across seven countries, covering digital strategy, distribution, bancassurance, partnerships, marketing and mergers and acquisitions.

Roger’s areas of expertise include:

  • Strategy
  • Partnerships and joint ventures 
  • Mergers, acquisitions and post-merger integration 
  • Pensions 
  • Financial services distribution 
  • Corporate governance 

Wyman Leung M.Phil, FRM

AMG Financial Group
Chief Investment Officer

Wyman is the Head of Investment for Asset Management Group Limited, providing investment research, investment advisory and asset management services to clients in the Asia Pacific region. He has over 10 years of experience as a dedicated investment analyst in different IFAs and asset management companies.

Wyman has been involved in a number of research roles, including macroeconomic research, equity markets analysis; mutual funds and hedge funds studies; as well as hedge fund management. He has visited most Asian countries to meet over a thousand fund managers for investment due diligence. Wyman is a regular media commentator on global economics and stock market trends.