by Erika Guarino

Pru Life UK welcomed high-profile visitors as Prudential plc’s outgoing Group Chief Executive Mark Tucker, together with Group Chief Finance Officer and Group Chief Executive-designate Tidjane Thiam, arrived in the country last June 4 for a two-day visit.

The duo was joined by Prudential Corporation Asia’s (PCA) Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Barry Stowe, Chief Financial Officer Sandeep Malik and former Regional Director of Partnerships Distribution and now Pru Life UK’s President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Grimes.

To celebrate the historic moment, the Company hosted a welcoming cocktail party for the visiting contingent at the posh Manila Peninsula Hotel. The by-invitation only event was attended by members of Pru Life UK’s Executive Committee and Senior Management Team. Selected members of the Company’s Agency force were also present to meet and greet with the top executives. Vice President for Marketing Belle Tiongco, whose team led the preparations for the welcoming bash, shared: “We made sure that Mr. Tucker and company would have a smooth, seamless, and very secure visit to the country. Fortunately, we were allowed to formally bid ‘adieu’ to Mr. Tucker, who will be leaving this September so we organized a cocktail/program with the Top 100 agents in attendance.”

During the party, Mr. Tucker delivered his final speech as the Company’s Group Chief Executive. Recently, the 51-year-old Mr. Tucker was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Court of the Royal Bank of England. His successor, Mr. Thiam, also addressed his Filipino colleagues and assured them that he will continue to work on making Prudential plc and its subsidiaries the best financial services institution in the market.

Mr. Tucker and Mr. Thiam’s Philippine stopover was widely considered as a big honor for the Company’s local operations. The visit was also a first for the incoming Group Chief Executive.

“We were able to meet both the top chief executive and the incumbent in one occasion—I think that’s historic and anyone who was there should be proud to have participated in that event,” Ms. Tiongco said. “I think both Mark Tucker and Tidjane Thiam are top talents not only in the United Kingdom, but in the international business community as well and they are a testament to the fact that Pru is really at the top of the game, with such mega talents at the helm,” she added.