Pru Life UK announced the appointment of its new President and Chief Executive Officer, Peter Grimes, who has signaled a focus on growing the business across the Philippines.

Mr. Grimes brings with him more than 20 years in senior management roles across Asia, which has focused on business expansion.

He has announced priorities which include introducing new products backed by a focus on customer service and branch infrastructure that are necessary to widen Pru Life UK’s geographical and market reach. Mr. Grimes is credited with spearheading the partnership distribution efforts in Prudential Corporation Asia in his former role as Regional Partnerships Distribution Director. His strategic leadership equipped Prudential Asia with a multi-channel distribution platform that fuelled its quantum growth in the last decade. In particular, Mr. Grimes was responsible for the development of Prudential’s partnership with more than 77 banks across Asia, including three in the Philippines.

London’s Prudential plc new Group Chief Executive Tidjane Thiam; his predecessor, Mark Tucker; and PCA Chief Executive Barry Stowe all visited the Philippines to express their support for Mr. Grimes leadership.

Prior to joining Prudential Corporation Asia in 2000, Mr. Grimes held roles in the telecommunications industry as Regional Vice President and Managing Director for two multinational companies, where he negotiated and executed joint venture arrangements and developed regional strategies for their market entry and business expansion, ultimately managing their operating businesses.