QBE Strengthens Asia Team With Two Key Hires
Global insurer QBE has reinforced its Asian management team with two senior appointments in Hong Kong, hiring a new Chief Operating Officer and a regional head of Data, Analytics and AI as it steps up its digital transformation and AI strategy across the region.
Global insurer QBE has appointed two senior executives to strengthen its Asian operations, underscoring its focus on operational excellence, digitalisation and the responsible deployment of artificial intelligence.
Effective immediately, Patrick Karlowski has joined the company as Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Asia. Based in Hong Kong, he succeeds Klaas Dijkstra, who has moved into the role of Chief Information Officer for QBE International. Patrick will report to Nathan Fuller, Chief Operations Officer, International, while also maintaining a reporting line to Asia Chief Executive Rob Kosova.
Karlowski brings more than two decades of experience spanning insurance, financial services and telecommunications. During his career, he has led large-scale operational businesses across Asia and Europe while overseeing the global rollout of digital insurance distribution and servicing platforms.
Driving operational transformation
In his new position, Karlowski will oversee QBE Asia’s operations, strategy and business transformation agenda. His mandate includes improving operational efficiency, strengthening collaboration across business divisions and supporting the insurer’s long-term growth ambitions through innovation and enhanced customer service.
The appointment is complemented by the arrival of Florence Chan, who will join the insurer on July 13 as Head of Data, Analytics and AI for Asia.
Chan also brings more than 20 years of experience across data analytics, financial services, technology and business transformation. Her background includes expertise in regulatory reporting, governance frameworks and AI implementation.
Expanding AI capabilities
Reporting to Group Head of Data, Analytics and AI Shrenik Dagli, with a dotted reporting line to Karlowski, Chan will lead QBE Asia’s regional data and analytics function. She will be responsible for shaping and executing the company’s data and AI roadmap, with an emphasis on responsible AI adoption and data-driven decision-making.
Commenting on the appointments, Asia Chief Executive Rob Kosova said the new executives would strengthen QBE’s competitive position across the region. He highlighted Karlowski’s expertise in operational excellence, digitalisation and automation, alongside Chan’s experience in building robust data capabilities and generating deeper risk insights for customers and business partners.
Both executives will be based in Hong Kong.
