– Edward Ler, EVP & Head of Southeast Asia

– Edward Kopp, Country President, Korea

– Ben Howell, Regional Head of Accident & Health

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 28 May 2021 – Chubb today announced three leadership appointments for the company’s Asia Pacific business. All appointments will be effective from 1 July 2021:

Edward Ler, currently Country President for Chubb’s general insurance business in Korea, has been appointed to the position of Head of Southeast Asia. Mr. Ler will be responsible for the general management and business results in the six countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. He replaces Glen Browne, who was recently appointed as Division President – Consumer Lines, Asia Pacific.

Mr. Ler joined Chubb in 2013 as Senior Vice President and Regional Head of Personal Lines, which includes oversight for Motor, Residential, High Net Worth and Specialty Personal Lines. During 2014-2016, in addition to his business leadership role, he was concurrently President Director for Chubb in Indonesia. Mr. Ler’s 18-year career in the insurance industry spans a variety of managerial roles covering the Asia Pacific, the Middle East and European markets. In his new capacity, Mr. Ler will relocate to Singapore and continue to report to Paul McNamee, Chubb’s Regional President for Asia Pacific.

Edward [Ed] Kopp, currently Chubb’s Regional Head for Accident & Health since 2019, will return to Korea as Country President for Chubb’s general insurance business, replacing Mr. Ler, subject to regulatory approval.

Mr. Kopp joined Chubb in 2012. He has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry and a strong track record of building sustainable, profitable businesses across Asia. He has a breadth of knowledge in distribution, product development, underwriting, channel management, and a deep understanding of the Korean market. Prior to joining Chubb, Mr. Kopp held several leadership roles with some leading institutions in banking and insurance. He will continue to report to Mr. McNamee in his new capacity.

Ben Howell, currently Deputy Regional Head of Accident & Health will replace Mr. Kopp as Chubb’s Regional Head of Accident & Health, Asia Pacific. In his new role, Mr. Howell will be responsible for the management and development of the accident, health and travel insurance business in the region. He will continue to be based in Singapore and report to Mr. Browne, in the latter’s new role as Division President – Consumer Lines, Asia Pacific.

Mr. Howell has deep experience across both commercial and consumer insurance, with underwriting, product development, partnership and distribution management expertise spanning diverse product classes. During his 19-year career in Asia and Australia, he has built businesses, successfully grown and improved existing businesses and led strategy, teams and portfolios across multiple countries and territories. Mr. Howell commenced his career with the company in Australia, then known as ACE, in 2002 before re-joining in 2016.

According to Mr. McNamee, “In Asia Pacific, we have a deep pool of talented executives as reflected by the appointments of Edward, Ed and Ben. Edward is a highly experienced insurance professional with a strong track record of success which will be critical to achieve our growth plans for Southeast Asia. Korea is strategically vital to our ambitions, particularly in the consumer business, and we are fortunate to have Ed return to lead our operations there during such an important phase in our expansion. Ben is a true professional and proven leader, ideal for such an important role as the Regional Head of Accident & Health. I have every confidence in his abilities and skills to drive sustained growth and profitability in this business.”

About Chubb

Chubb is the world’s largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London, Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide.

Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com.

#Chubb

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 28 May 2021 – The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented levels of business disruption. In Singapore, many businesses are struggling to cope with the lack of footfall islandwide as the city-state goes into the 2nd week of the Phase 2 Heightened Measures to combat the spread of the virus.

There is great uncertainty about when the pandemic will end, and businesses need an agile response plan to strengthen their business resilience.

Singapore-based online florist — Well Live Florist shares 4 ways businesses can strengthen business resilience to rise against the challenges brought about by COVID-19 and thrive in the face of ambiguity.

1. Use A Customer-Centric Approach To Engage With Consumers

In times of uncertainty, using a customer-centric approach to keep your consumers engaged is an important part of building business resilience. Plus, when stakes are high, this can help to drive brand loyalty.

One way that businesses can keep their customers engaged is to offer them the option to chat with the company via a helpline managed by an actual employee. The helpline allows them to reply to customer enquiries promptly and adds a personal touch to their messages that cannot be found elsewhere.

2. Adopt A Diverse Hiring Practice

One of the key reasons underpinning Well Live Florist’s business resilience is their diverse hiring practice.

That is why businesses need to adopt a diverse hiring approach, employing people with different backgrounds and cognitive abilities. A diverse team offers businesses a wide spectrum of responses, allowing them to better come up with solutions to combat any challenge.

3. Create Buffer Systems Against Unexpected Situations

To build business resilience, it is imperative that companies create buffer systems against the unexpected.

Well Live Florist, for example, carries a range of products including 99 roses, flower boxes, hand bouquets, preserved and dried flowers, wedding bouquets, grand opening flower stands, condolences wreaths, and more.

This protects them against supply chain disruptions due to any unpredictable COVID-19 related import restrictions, giving them the flexibility to continue offering their products to their consumers despite the supply chain disruption.

4. Provide Complimentary Delivery

As the number of COVID-19 cases in Singapore continues to grow, Singaporeans have been adapting to the measures set in place by the government to keep the virus at bay; working from home is the new normal and everyone is encouraged to stay home.

However, this makes it hard for consumers to go out and about to get their items, which may negatively impact businesses. To adapt to this new normal, businesses should try to offer free shipping for their products.

Not only does this help to protect the well-being of their customers, but it also encourages them to shop more as free shipping is known to positively influence consumer spending. On top of that, businesses do not have to worry about the lack of human traffic in their physical stores disrupting their supply chain.

About Well Live Florist

Well Live Florist is a Singapore-based online florist that offers a wonderful range of fresh and dried flowers. With the support of a team of passionate florists, Well Live Florist stands out from the crowd with their punctual delivery guarantee, stellar customer service, and stunning floral arrangements that are guaranteed to please.

For more information, please visit https://wellliveflorist.com/

Criteo findings also reveal improvements in air travel in the region

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 28 May 2021 – Criteo S.A. (NASDAQ: CRTO), the global technology company powering the world’s marketers with trusted and impactful advertising, today announced their latest research around ecommerce trends observed during Ramadan this year, which took place from 12 April to 12 May.

The second year in a row that Muslims are observing Ramadan under COVID-19 conditions, Criteo’s data revealed an uptick in indexed traffic and sales in Southeast Asia^[1], when compared to the baseline^[2]. Regional retailers saw a surge on 2 May, with a 26% increase in traffic and 21% increase in sales, respectively.

“As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions across our region, worshippers had to adjust their observance of the holy month of Ramadan. With social distancing measures deterring gatherings in large groups, consumers are rethinking their buying patterns, regarding areas such as gift giving. It is key that marketers and brands understand these shifts and engage consumers with what they need the most, especially during important observances,” explained Taranjeet Singh, Managing Director, Southeast Asia and India, Criteo.

Fig 1: Indexed values based on average sales from 12 Mar-12 May 2021

However, while the recent Ramadan season saw performance above its baseline, Criteo notes that an underperformance when compared to last year’s Ramadan period. A notable dip was also observed in the final week of the Ramadan period, with sales and traffic dropping below the baseline, may be indicative of consumer’s caution in spending amid the ongoing economic downturn.

Mobile and App purchases continue to rise

When making purchases during Ramadan, Southeast Asian consumers continued to use mobile and app platforms this year.

Specifically, mobile sales saw the largest lift throughout the Ramadan period this year, marking a 107% increase in sales at the end of the Ramadan period on 12 May. App sales also rose by 60%, earlier on 1 May. Meanwhile, desktop sales saw the smallest spike of 40% during the second week of Ramadan period.

Fig 2: Indexed values based on average sales across devices in Southeast Asia from before Ramadan (12 Mar-11 Apr) to Ramadan 2021 (12 Apr – 12 May)

COVID-19’s Impact on Consumer preferences and behaviors during Ramadan

Comparing purchasing patterns during Ramadan pre-COVID, in 2019, and this year, Criteo data revealed that the growth in purchases this year have only been in two categories – Fashion/Luxury, and Mass Merchant^[3] products. Criteo also found that the Fashion/Luxury category outperformed Mass Merchants during Ramadan, with a 50% increase from baseline from 23 April to 5 May.

In 2019, however, top product categories were in Health and Beauty, Electronics, Toys and Games as well as Home and Living. The trends observed this year are likely to be due to consumers not being able to commemorate Hari Raya in large social settings or house visitations, as a result of distancing measures.

Fig 3: Indexed values based on average sales by category across Southeast Asia (12 Apr – 12 May 2021)

Another distinct trend observed during Ramadan in previous years was a consistent rise in web traffic and sales for travel players. Before the COVID pandemic, prospective travelers usually searched travel websites during Ramadan, before making their bookings late in the month and after Ramadan, to make trips to celebrate Hari Raya with their family and friends. This was noticeably absent from this year’s data.

Travel plans and optimism continue to rise in Asia

While COVID-19 is expected to continue having an impact on travel plans, Criteo’s latest Travel Data for Q1 2021 has revealed that air travel is expected to improve more quickly in the Americas and Asia Pacific than in EMEA, and with domestic flights recovering faster than international flights.

In fact, according to Criteo’s findings, 86%, 65% and 89% of respondents from Australia, South Korea, and Japan, respectively, say they are likely to make an online booking for domestic travel.

One year after the first outbreak of COVID-19, air bookings remain low at -36% in April 2021. However, this is a 12-point increase from -48% in January 2021. Criteo’s data also found that travel players with a booking app have seen app usage grow especially in APAC, where app sales account for 77% of bookings, followed by mobile at 13% and desktop at 10%.

“For marketers and travel players, it is important to know that the priorities of travelers are two-fold – the ability to fully refund on bookings if travel plans are disrupted, and secondly, that social distancing and the highest levels of sanitation are ensured. According to our survey, travelers said that they are more likely to book travels if bookings are fully refundable and travelers reported the importance of social distancing and sanitation measures amid the ongoing pandemic,” explained Singh.

“Understanding this, travel players can take action by providing consumers with longer-term options, and safer, socially-distanced stays. Also, travel providers should leverage consumer preferences for apps to create an engaging app experience to encourage usage and sales,” he continued.

Ensuring successful customer engagements amid the continuing pandemic

With restrictions starting to ease, many customers in the region are able to access both in-store and online retail options, while adhering to social distancing measures.

Consumers are expected to continue alternating between online and in-store experiences throughout their shopping journey. It is key that marketers keep in mind the following strategies to see continued success with customer engagements:

• Strengthen your omni-channel strategy: this will be key for marketers and brands to deliver seamless offline to online experiences. Ultimately, to build customer loyalty and drive long-term growth by driving customer lifetime value.
• Develop meaningful promotions and ad messaging: While consumers remain price sensitive during this time, brands should prioritize connecting to the heart. For example, during observances like Ramadan, brands are encouraged to focus less on promoting the price, and more on the meaning of the season. This can play an important role in whether consumers notice or respond to the ad or not.
• Target the right audience or reconnect with consumers who have purchased in the past: By syncing CRM data, marketers should engage customers who previously have shopped with them, and provide them with personalized, relevant ads to compel purchases. Taking Ramadan as an example, shoppers are likely to be looking for things that help them observe Ramadan. Before Ramadan, purchases in groceries, décor, and home goods are expected to rise, while gift purchases could happen as the holiday progresses^[4].

Methodology for Ramadan data

Criteo identified these trends through the analysis of over 557 million retail shopping transactions across desktop, smartphones, and tablets from 116 major advertisers in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Methodology for Travel data

Criteo identified these trends through the analysis of survey data from 11,161 respondents across 9 countries – Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, United Kingdom and United States as well as organic data from 815 Travel Players who partner with Criteo in over 20 countries, accounting for $1.6B annual bookings (220 million bookings in the US).

About Criteo:

Criteo (NASDAQ: CRTO) is the global technology company powering the world’s marketers with trusted and impactful advertising. 2,500 Criteo team members partner with over 20,000 customers and thousands of publishers around the globe to deliver effective advertising across all channels, by applying advanced machine learning to unparalleled data sets. Criteo empowers companies of all sizes with the technology they need to better know and serve their customers. For more information, please visit www.criteo.com.

#Criteo

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 27 May 2021 – Lanson Place Personal Hotels and Residences (Lanson Place) is proud to announce that five of its hotels and serviced residences have been recognised as winners of 2021 Tripadvisor Traveller’s Choice Award. Lanson Place Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, was particularly recognised as Best of the Best Award Winner for being among the best in China based on exceptional traveller reviews.

2021 Best of the Best Award (for winners ranking among the top 1% listings on Tripadvisor):

• Lanson Place Causeway Bay, Hong Kong (2021 Top 25 Hotels in China)

2021 Traveller’s Choice Award (for winners ranking among the top 10% listings on Tripadvisor):

• Lanson Place Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
• Two MacDonnell Road, Hong Kong
• Lanson Place Waterfront Suites, Hong Kong
• Lanson Place Bukit Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur
• Lanson Place Winsland, Singapore

Travellers’ Choice Award (formerly Certificate of Excellence) recognises businesses that earn consistently great traveller reviews over the past 12 months on Tripadvisor, reflecting the top 10 % listings worldwide. Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best awards are the highest honour Tripadvisor bestows, and are the only travel industry awards based on millions of reviews and opinions from travellers around the world, These awards take into account the quality, quantity and recency of reviews and opinions submitted by travellers and celebrate businesses that consistently deliver superlative experiences to travellers around the globe thereby earning great traveller reviews on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months.

Mr. Michael Hobson, Chief Executive Officer of Lanson Place, said “We are thrilled to have received such great recognition. I am proud of the commitment and dedication our teams have shown in continuing to deliver exceptional guest experiences during such a challenging year.”

About Lanson Place Hospitality Management Limited

Lanson Place is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wing Tai Properties Limited (Wing Tai), a publicly listed company in Hong Kong (HKEx stock code: 369). Wing Tai currently manages 9 properties (in which Wing Tai has equity in three) under the Lanson Place brand, comprising luxury Personal Hotels and Residences in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Chengdu, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, as well as two upcoming properties in Manila and Melbourne (to be opened in 2022 and 2023 respectively).

Lanson Place provides comfortable, personal sanctuaries for extended stay guests at central locations in major global cities. Infused by a family-like service tradition, Lanson Place creates warm and sheltered places with a club-like feel where communities form and bond. Guests can enjoy a home-away-from-home experience.

The Group aims to grow the Lanson Place brand across the Asia-Pacific region and continues to explore both investment and management opportunities in major gateway cities.

#LansonPlace

Additional Options to Provide Better Choice, Accessibility and Affordability for Customers

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 27 May 2021 – MSIG Insurance (Malaysia) Bhd (“MSIG Malaysia”) has launched two new critical illness insurance products. These are EZ Plus Critical Care which covers most prevalent critical illnesses; cancer, stroke, heart attack and kidney failure; and Cancer Care 365 which is focused specifically on cancers. Both of MSIG’s new critical illness products provide policyholders with a lump sum payment for any of the covered critical illnesses, at the early and/or critical stage of the illness.

While most Malaysians are familiar with conventional medical insurance products and plans (typically the ones which provide a medical card), critical illness insurance is designed to provide an extra blanket of financial protection in the unfortunate event of them being diagnosed with a critical illness.

MSIG is launching both products to provide very targeted, very affordable, critical illness insurance which can be accessed by more Malaysians. Consumer awareness of the costs of healthcare have risen recently and many people who may not previously have considered critical illness cover now understand the need to do so. Likewise, others, who may already have existing coverage, can see the value in extending or ‘topping up’ their critical illness coverage by adding MSIG’s affordable plans to provide additional financial protection for themselves and their families.

MSIG’s EZ Plus Critical Care product offers a lump sum payout of up to RM200,000 along with a variety of other benefits including recuperative, supplementary medicine and travel allowances if the policyholder is diagnosed with a covered illness. There is also an additional no claim bonus which provides a 10% per annum increase in the initial sum insured for every no-claim-year up to 5 years. To provide customers with greater flexibility and ensure affordability, EZ Plus Critical Care gives customers two options of plan with differing benefits and costs.

The Cancer Care 365 insurance product has been designed to specifically address the concerns of people worried about the risk of developing cancer. The product offers a lump sum payout of up to RM250,000, which can be increased by an additional 50% in the event of the policyholder developing a gender-related cancer. The product also provides other benefits which include payment of allowances for recuperation, supplementary medicine, purchase of mobile data and compensation for surviving parent(s) in the event of death as a result of a cancer. The Cancer Care product provides customers with three plan options which enables them to choose the level of coverage and cost which they are most comfortable with.

While conventional medical insurance covers the cost of treatment and medication when people are hospitalised, critical illness insurance can provide the extra financial support to enable people to get back on their feet quickly. The lump sum payout can help cover any big expenses such as additional nursing and therapy costs, which they may have incurred beyond their medical policy, as well as helping people cope with potential disruptions to their work and income. This can help minimise financial and lifestyle stress for both them and their loved ones, which can also contribute positively to their recovery.

Mr Chua Seck Guan, CEO of MSIG Malaysia, said, “As we all know, the cost of treating critical illnesses is getting more expensive every year and the impact that it makes on people’s lives is growing ever larger. Unfortunately, critical illness can affect any of us when we least expect it and are completely unprepared. As an insurer who cares, we want more Malaysians to have access to extra financial support which will give them the confidence they need to seek treatment earlier (which ensures a better chance of recovery) and also helps them cope with the unexpected changes in lifestyle that can arise from a critical illness.”

He continued, “These two new critical illness products were developed by MSIG with our policyholders in mind. We felt that there was some space in the market to provide Malaysians with better access and affordability when it comes to critical illness cover, particularly as there is more awareness of its importance right now. We wanted to create new products that encourage more Malaysians to protect themselves and take advantage of this type of additional coverage. Choosing the right product is not always easy, so we wanted to bring more affordable and flexible options to the Malaysian market.”

Interested parties can contact a MSIG Insurance Adviser or visit the following product pages on www.msig.com.my for more information.

• MSIG EZ Plus Critical Care – https://www.msig.com.my/personal-insurance/products/ez-plus-critical-care/
• MSIG Cancer Care 365 – https://www.msig.com.my/personal-insurance/products/cancer-care-365/.

About MSIG Insurance (Malaysia) Bhd

MSIG Insurance (Malaysia) Bhd (“MSIG Malaysia”) is a subsidiary of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited and a member of MS&AD Insurance Group Holding, Inc. (MS&AD), one of the top ten** general insurers in the world.

With over 100 years of general insurance experience and a nationwide network of 20 branches in Malaysia, MSIG Malaysia is one of the leading general insurers in Fire, Engineering and Motor classes and No.1* in Marine Cargo, offering an extensive range of products and services for personal and business needs.

MSIG Malaysia’s expertise is well recognised through its receipt of many prestigious awards. These have included the 2020 Reader’s Digest Quality Service Award – Silver winner in the Car Insurance category. MSIG was recognized for having one of the highest levels of quality service, which reflects the effort that the company has put in to satisfy consumer’s demand for high service standards. The company was also awarded the 2018 “Outstanding Property and Casualty Insurer in Malaysia” award in the InsuranceAsia News Awards for Excellence. MSIG Malaysia was commended for leading the market with strong financial growth, investment in product innovation, enhanced digital capabilities in business and claims management systems and strong customer service proposition. Its commitment to customer service excellence through its efforts in enhancing the customer experience and industry leadership in Enterprise Risk Management also earned MSIG Malaysia the “General Insurance Company of the Year” at the Asia Insurance Industry Awards in 2015.

For more information on MSIG Malaysia, visit www.msig.com.my or facebook.com/MSIGmy.

*As of Dec 2020

**Fortune Global 500, 2019.

#MSIG

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 27 May 2021 – Chubb today announced that it has appointed Glen Browne Division President, Consumer Lines, Asia Pacific with effect from 1 July 2021, in addition to his role as Deputy Regional President for Asia Pacific. In this newly created position, Mr. Browne will oversee the accident and health and personal lines businesses in the region. He will also have oversight for direct marketing, consumer partnerships and digital distribution for both the company’s general and life insurance divisions in Asia Pacific. Mr. Browne will continue to be based in Singapore and report to Paul McNamee, Chubb’s Regional President for Asia Pacific and he will work closely with Brad Bennett, Chubb Life’s Chief Operating Officer.

“The new Consumer Lines division will bring to bear the full breadth of Chubb’s capabilities to deliver the best customer product and service solutions in a seamless way, and agnostic to the product, channel and delivery method,” said Mr. McNamee. “This is a response to the evolving customer and growing partnership dynamics of our business, which will necessitate the sharing of data, technology and talent to deliver superior customer and partnership outcomes.”

Mr. Browne is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of industry experience. He joined the company, then known as ACE, in New Zealand in 2000 and has been promoted to roles of increasing responsibility over the course of his career, most recently to Deputy Regional President for Asia Pacific and Division President, Southeast Asia.

On this new role, Mr. McNamee said, “Glen has both breadth of experience across a number of our countries in General Management as well as depth of knowledge in the consumer space. He has the perfect blend of leadership and technical skills to steer the teams across the region to achieve our ambitious goals to grow our consumer business.”

About Chubb

Chubb is the world’s largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London, Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide.

Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com.

#Chubb