Financial well-being for all By LOUISE MAUREEN SIMEON

Benedict Sison, chief executive officer and country head of Sun Life Philippines, has accumulated a wealth of experience in five diverse countries the United States, India, Canada, China and Hong Kong before returning to the Philippines. This international exposure has significantly shaped his career decisions and leadership style, providing him the right tools to navigate the complex financial landscape of the insure - inductas

-  LOUISE MAUREEN SIMEON

Before joining Sun Life, Sison worked at Conagra Brands, an American consumer goods company, serving various corporate finance roles. In 2010, Sison felt the need to stay in Asia-Pacific amid the region's booming economic opportunities.

Transitioning from the consumer goods industry to financial services was a daunting prospect. However, Sison's unwavering determination propelled him to make that critical shift, leading him to head one of the country's largest insurance firms and contribute to enhancing financial awareness among Filipinos.

When Sison was informed of an available chief financial officer post in Sun Life Philippines, he hesitated initially as he lacked experience in the financial services industry, particularly in actuarial.

But he decided to make the giant leap anyway and as they say, the rest is history.

"At the time, I was really searching for an international company with a strong vision for the future and plans to aggressively grow in Asia," Sison said.

"What attracted me to Sun Life was the promise of greater challenges. It's not easy to transition from a consumer goods industry to financial services. Actuarial is a field I was unfamiliar with," he shared.

Two years later, Benedict was promoted to Asia CFO, overseeing finance across Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, India and China markets.

In 2015, he was moved to the Philippines as chief strategy and financial management officer before becoming CEO and country head in July 2018.

"My experiences have prepared me well for my current role. It equipped me to navigate unpredictable environments and to quickly respond to surprising shifts and trends," Sison said.

The best and the worst Like any other job in the world, Sison's task has its pros and cons.

For him, the best part is the challenge to influence people, gain support and inspire his team to perform better.