Head of Digital Underwriting - SME Asia

Role overview

This role leads digital underwriting for SME portfolios across Asia, driving profitable growth through data-driven decisioning, automation and best-in-class customer journeys. You will define the digital underwriting strategy, oversee governance and controls, and partner with Product, Distribution, Claims, Compliance and Technology to deliver scalable, compliant underwriting capabilities.

Key responsibilities

• Own the digital underwriting roadmap for SME lines, including appetite, rules, pricing levers and straight-through processing.
• Design and optimise underwriting journeys across portals, APIs and partner platforms, improving conversion, speed to quote and retention.
• Lead development and monitoring of underwriting rules engines, scorecards and predictive models, ensuring explainability and robustness.
• Establish underwriting governance: authority frameworks, referrals, exceptions, conduct risk, audit trails and MI.
• Manage portfolio performance (loss ratio, rate adequacy, mix, leakage, fraud) and take corrective actions.
• Collaborate with Actuarial on pricing, segmentation and experimentation; with Claims on feedback loops and indemnity controls.
• Ensure adherence to regional regulatory requirements, data privacy, model risk management and operational resilience standards.
• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing underwriting and analytics team; influence senior stakeholders across Asia.

Requirements

• Extensive experience in P&C underwriting, with proven delivery of digital or automated underwriting solutions.
• Strong understanding of underwriting fundamentals, portfolio management, pricing dynamics and distribution models (direct, broker, partnerships).
• Demonstrable capability in using data, analytics and experimentation to improve underwriting outcomes; familiarity with rules engines and model lifecycle controls.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, including presenting to governance forums and senior leadership.
• Experience working across multiple Asian markets and navigating differing regulatory and market practices.
• Sound knowledge of risk and control frameworks, compliance, conduct, AML/CTF considerations and fraud prevention.
• Proficiency with digital product delivery concepts (Agile, user journeys, APIs) and working effectively with technology teams.
• Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience; relevant insurance qualifications advantageous.