Richard Allan Bates

Mr. Richard A.
Bates is a President & Chief Executive Officer at The Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils.), Inc. He assumed office on August 2019 and is responsible for the overall strategy and development of Manulife’s business in the Philippines.
His remit is to ensure that the company is focused on Manulife’s mission to make customers’ decisions easier and lives better.
He is a Finance industry veteran, who has a strong background in advancing insurance penetration in emerging markets in Asia.
Prior to joining Manulife, he served as Chief Executive Officer of a multinational insurance firm in Cambodia, where he spearheaded the company’s market entry and launched its multi-channel operations.
Prior to this posting, Mr. Bates was responsible for the Asia operations of a private equity fund focused on investing and incubating insurance start-ups.
He also previously led a multinational consulting firm’s deal strategy unit in Hong Kong and its financial services line of business across Asia.
Beyond his work in insurance and finance, he has also been involved in a charity that supports adults with learning disabilities in Hong Kong.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) degree in Business Studies from the University of Portsmouth in England.