Markel Insurance, the insurance operation within Markel Group Inc., has appointed John Bang as its inaugural Head of Korea and Japan, effective immediately.
He will be responsible for launching Markel International’s Japan and Korea desks, overseeing business development and deepening relationships with local partners and cedents.
In his new role, Bang will lead Markel International’s operations across the two countries, while strengthening the division’s regional presence, and focus on developing its wholesale business.
The appointment aligns with the insurer’s continued commitment to expand its footprint in the Asia Pacific region. Markel explained that Korea and Japan represent important growth markets, offering considerable opportunities to expand its presence in the specialist insurance sector.
Most recently, Bang served at Zurich Insurance Company as the Head of Country Desks, Asia & Global Relationship Leader. He has spent over a decade in leadership positions across Asia at Zurich.
Additionally, he has extensive industry experience across Korea and Japan, with a strong background in marine underwriting and business development.
Sucheng Chang, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Markel Insurance, commented on the appointment, “We’re delighted to welcome John to Markel in this important leadership role. Japan and Korea are sophisticated, high-growth speciality insurance markets, and John’s deep local knowledge, language skills, and trusted relationships make him exceptionally well-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 put Markel on the map. We expect meaningful, profitable growth across multiple lines of business under his leadership.”
Bang added, “I’m thrilled to be joining Markel at such a pivotal time in the company’s development in Asia Pacific. Markel has established itself as a trusted insurance partner, known for its underwriting excellence and commitment to customer service. I look forward to working with the team to build on this strong foundation and capture the major opportunities available in the Korean and Japanese markets.”
