Markel Insurance, the insurance arm of Markel Group, has appointed John Bang as its first regional head of Korea and Japan, effective immediately.
He will be responsible for launching Markel International’s Japan and Korea operations, overseeing business development and deepening relationships with local partners and subsidiaries.
In his new role, Bang will lead Markel International’s operations in both countries, while strengthening the division’s regional presence and focusing on growing its wholesale business.
The appointment is in line with the insurer’s continued commitment to expanding its presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Markle explained that South Korea and Japan are important growth markets that offer substantial opportunities to expand its business in the specialty insurance space.
Most recently, Bang served as head of country services and head of Asia and global relations at Zurich Insurance Company. He has held leadership positions across Asia for more than ten years in Zurich.
In addition, he has extensive industry experience in Korea and Japan, with a strong background in marine underwriting and business development.
Commenting on the appointment, Markle Insurance Asia Pacific managing director Teo Su Cheng said: “We are delighted to welcome John to Markle in this important leadership role. Japan and South Korea are mature, high-growth specialty insurance markets, and John’s deep local knowledge, language skills and trusted relationships make him ideally suited to lead our expansion.”
“John’s appointment underscores our commitment to investing in local leadership and expertise as we continue to deepen our presence in strategic markets across Asia Pacific and build Markel’s reputation. We expect to deliver meaningful profitable growth across multiple business lines under his leadership.”
Bang added: “I am delighted to be joining Markel at a critical time in the company’s growth in Asia Pacific. Markel has established itself as a trusted insurance partner, known for its underwriting excellence and commitment to client service. I look forward to working with the team to build on this strong foundation and capture significant opportunities in the Korean and Japanese markets.”
