FWD Philippines taps Gavin Lai to lead brand, marketing, and digital commerce

FWD Philippines has appointed Gavin Lai (pictured) as its new chief marketing and digital commerce officer. In this role, he is responsible for brand, marketing, and communications, as well as digital commerce sales and partnerships. Lai oversees a seasoned, multi-disciplinary team described as “passionate and committed to changing the way Filipinos feel about insurance.”

He succeeds Roche Vandenberghe, who served with FWD Philippines for more than a decade and played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s marketing footprint. Vandenberghe is now the CMO of Globe Telecom, one of the country’s leading telecommunications providers.

Lai reports directly to Soon Liang Lau, president and CEO of FWD Philippines.

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Lai’s mandate centres on amplifying FWD’s market presence and strengthening its relevance among Filipinos, while at the same time advancing digital commerce as a driver of growth, he told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. He is tasked with deepening customer connections by delivering seamless, personalised experiences grounded in insights, and by building a marketing technology stack that enables stronger performance and more effective campaigns.

Beyond commercial goals, Lai is also expected to push forward the insurer’s community agenda, with initiatives in sustainability, mental health, and youth empowerment. He will continue FWD’s efforts to build financial literacy, equipping more Filipinos with the confidence to make informed financial decisions.

At the same time, he is preparing to oversee the development of new products designed to offer protection across different life stages, particularly for under- and uninsured segments of the population.

The appointment signals FWD’s intent to sharpen its marketing and digital strategies as it strengthens its presence in one of Asia’s most competitive insurance markets. FWD Philippines has emerged as the country’s leading life insurer in the first quarter of 2025, topping the Insurance Commission’s ranking based on new business annual premium equivalent (NBAPE) on a singleton basis. The company posted 2.5 billion pesos (US$44 million) in NBAPE for the quarter, a 57% year-on-year increase.

Before joining FWD, Lai built extensive experience in the insurance and reinsurance sector. He spent over six years at Australia-based TAL Life, most recently as head of product for Group Life. He also held product development and regional marketing roles at Pacific Life Re and Reinsurance Group of America, respectively.

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