SEADRIF Insurance Company has announced the appointments of internationally recognised lawyer Mei Fern Johnson and former Singapore regulator Dr. Leow Yung Khee to its board of directors, reinforcing governance depth as the regional risk pool expands disaster risk financing solutions across ASEAN+3.
Johnson, a partner at New Zealand law firm Russell McVeagh and a consultant to the World Bank Group on disaster risk financing, brings more than 25 years of experience spanning mergers and acquisitions, overseas investments, and public–private sector advisory work across infrastructure, technology, energy and transport sectors.
Her governance background includes roles with Victoria University Council, National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Limited, Health NZ Te Whatu Ora’s Capital and Infrastructure Board Committee, and the Accident Compensation Corporation, alongside professional credentials with the Australian Institute of Directors and the New Zealand Institute of Directors.
“I look forward to working with SEADRIF on its board to champion its critical role in disaster risk financing across ASEAN+3,” Johnson said. “Pre-arranged funding solutions are essential for enabling swift recovery, strengthening preparedness, and reducing hardship.”
Meanwhile, Leow, a trained medical doctor, currently serves as senior medical advisor at Singlife and previously served as director at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), where she led the development of Singapore’s health insurance framework underpinning national initiatives such as MediShield Life and CareShield Life.
Her MAS tenure also included policy formation and supervisory oversight across life, general, and reinsurance sectors and contributions to Asian and ASEAN initiatives on insurance policy and public–private collaboration, experience that SEADRIF said aligns closely with its partnership-driven mandate.
“SEADRIF’s mission of regional collaboration to protect lives and safeguarding livelihoods of the people when faced with natural disasters resonate with my personal values,” Leow said.
SEADRIF said the appointments enhance the board’s legal, regulatory, and industry expertise as it advances resilient, pre-arranged disaster risk financing mechanisms to help member countries respond more quickly and effectively to natural catastrophes.
