Khoo Kah Siang, chief executive officer of Manulife Singapore, says that grit and a passion for self-improvement are important character traits needed to succeed in the industry.

In a revealing interview with Marketing Magazine, Khoo outlined what insurance professionals need to do to impress the titans of the industry.  And with more than two decades of experience in the industry – including four years as deputy director at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) – Khoo is certainly someone to listen to.

Read more: Manulife Singapore recruits Great Eastern's Khoo as new head

“For young talents, they need to be given the right tools to shine and stay – a reasonable amount of guidance, exposure and visibility,” Khoo told Marketing Magazine. “A lot depends on their character of grit, willingness to constantly improve and patience in an organisation. Sometimes in large organisations, things may not happen overnight. However, every young talent has different factors of motivation and as leaders in the organisation, we need to know our people well enough to motivate them differently.”

For Khoo, the key to success lies in being attuned to what customers need. “[Insurance professionals need] to be customer centric and be open to the ever-changing new ways of audience engagement,” said Khoo.

The industry veteran also emphasised the importance of young professionals seeking guidance and mentorship.

“As a mentor, veteran marketers are the role models to the younger generation of talents to guide, support and lead, so that the younger ones grow in competence and confidence in the field,” said Khoo.