BMS Asia CEO’s Key to Success: Communication and Support
Sandra Lee, the Asia CEO of London-based insurer BMS Group Ltd., believes that open communication and a willingness to seek assistance are crucial for success, especially among women leaders. Lee, who was appointed CEO in January 2021, shared her insights in an interview with Insurance Asia.
Effective communication is crucial not just in sharing successes and challenges, but also in being transparent about when you need help.
Lee’s primary focus at BMS has been building the company’s mergers and acquisitions (M&A) capabilities in the region. Before her current role, she spent nearly nine years as head of transaction liability insurance at Aon Plc. She emphasized that asking for support is a demonstration of self-awareness and a commitment to professional development. This perspective is particularly relevant, as only a third of senior management positions in mid-market firms across the Asia-Pacific region are held by women, a figure slightly below the global average, according to the Grant Thornton’s Women in Business 2025 report.
With over two decades of experience in the insurance industry, Lee noted that building trust and credibility, especially during times of economic uncertainty, is a significant challenge for leaders, regardless of gender. She highlighted macroeconomic uncertainties and the ongoing digital transformation within the industry as the main challenges in the next few years. She also pointed out the early stages of adoption of insurtech and the need for the industry to adapt to technological changes. “Technology will continue to reshape the sector like it is doing with all industries, and we can anticipate its long-term impact on business and operational sustainability.”
Climate change also poses a threat. “More frequent and stronger natural catastrophes demand a proactive stance from insurers,” Lee stated. Economic losses in the region from natural disasters reached $74 billion in 2024 alone; however, only about $4 billion of this was insured. To effectively address these risks, Lee is centralizing resources within the company’s dual headquarters located in Hong Kong and Singapore.
This approach allows us to pool our strengths, streamline operations, and ensure we are well-equipped to meet client needs efficiently in all of the markets in which we have representation, even in uncertain times.
Despite these challenges, Lee remains optimistic, positing that the rising middle class and the increasingly affluent youth in Asia will spur growth in the life and health insurance markets. “These segments are expected to continue expanding, offering substantial growth potential for the industry.” She added, “As economies mature, the strategic use of insurance as a risk mitigation tool will become more prevalent.”
