Sun Life has appointed Lee Sarkin as Vice President, Data and AI, Asia, effective 1 September, the insurer announced on Wednesday.
Based in Hong Kong, Sarkin joins the business from Munich Re Life & Health, where he spent 18 years and most recently held the role of regional chief analytics officer, responsible for AI and analytics across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.
He brings more than 20 years of experience in data, analytics, AI and actuarial work across life and health primary insurance and reinsurance.
Sarkin’s new remit covers the scaling of AI use cases to improve decision-making and deliver faster, simpler and more consistent experiences for clients and advisors, Sun Life said. He will also oversee the development of the data, platforms, and governance required to support the safe and consistent adoption of AI across markets, including strengthening how data is used in day-to-day decision-making as well as the embedding of AI into core business processes.
“[Sarkin] joins us at an exciting time as we continue to scale our data and AI capabilities across Asia,” said DJ de Villiers, chief information and digital officer, Asia. “Lee brings a rare combination of technical expertise, business leadership, and hands-on experience delivering AI solutions at scale.”
The move comes as Sun Life’s Hong Kong unit builds on strong growth, having reported a record HK$11.8bn (US$1.51bn) in new business annualised premium equivalent (APE) in 2025. Its Asia new business contractual service margin (CSM) rose further in the first quarter of 2026, supported by continued sales momentum in Hong Kong.
Reflecting the unit’s growing importance to the group, S&P upgraded Sun Life Hong Kong’s rating to ‘AA’ in March, citing its expanding role in Sun Life’s Asia growth strategy.
