Head of Regional Strategy - India

We are seeking a Head of Regional Strategy to lead the strategic, financial, and governance agenda for Daiichi Life’s India Business Unit (BU). This role will be based in Singapore and will act as the single point of accountability for driving value creation, aligning key stakeholders, and ensuring delivery of business performance. Acting as a de facto country portfolio lead, the role will play a critical part in shaping CEO- and Board-level decisions, while leading key strategic initiatives, including partnership development, capital management, and transformation programs.

Key Responsibilities

India Strategy Leadership

• Own formulation, refresh, and execution of India strategy, with full accountability for India BU outcomes
• Set strategic direction across growth (distribution scale, bancassurance optimisation, partnerships) and profitability (product mix, margin improvement, capital efficiency)
• Provide independent challenge to India BU management to ensure strategies are robust, defensible, and aligned with shareholder objectives
• Lead evaluation and execution of major strategic actions (e.g., stake changes, M&A)

Performance Ownership & Value Delivery

• Build strong relationships with CEOs, CXOs, and India BU stakeholders to drive alignment on key strategic matters
• Be accountable for performance against plan (topline, bottomline, capital metrics)
• Engage directly with India BU management to intervene on underperformance and drive corrective actions
• Lead performance dialogues with CEOs, Boards, and shareholders, providing clear positions and recommendations
• Deliver forward-looking insights, scenario analysis, and risk assessment to regional and global leadership

Group Synergies & Strategic Influence

• Drive delivery of tangible group synergies into India, including product innovation, digital capabilities, analytics, and risk frameworks
• Influence India strategy using best practices from Japan, Southeast Asia, and Oceania
• Mobilise group resources and ensure execution of synergies

Transformation Initiatives

• Lead high-impact initiatives, including:Business transformation and operating model redesignRegulatory positioning and engagementStrategic responses to market or partner developments

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Approximately 15–18 years of experience in:
• Strategy, corporate development, or investment rolesLife insurance or financial services, with strong exposure to bancassurance
• Deep experience in the India insurance market (preferably life insurance) and stakeholder landscape
• Proven track record of engagement at CXO, Board, and shareholder level
• Strong mastery of life insurance value drivers, including:
• Distribution economics (especially bancassurance)Product and capital profitability
• Strong commercial judgment with the ability to take clear positions under ambiguity
• Demonstrated ability to navigate complex promoter and stakeholder structures
• High-impact communication and influencing skills at senior executive level
• Strong ownership mindset with focus on delivery and results