Phil Witherington

Phil Witherington was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Financial Corporation, one of the largest insurance and asset management companies in the world, on May 8, 2025. Prior to this appointment, Witherington served five years as Chief Financial Officer at Manulife, where he was responsible for managing Manulife's global financial affairs and successfully led the implementation of IFRS 17 and IFRS 9 at Manulife. Witherington has served as part of Manulife's executive leadership team since 2017, and before that was President and Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Asia.

Witherington has more than 25 years of experience in insurance and financial services, globally, and in developed and emerging markets within Asia. Prior to joining Manulife, he led finance in Asia Pacific for the Retail Banking and Wealth Management business at HSBC and earlier served as the Deputy Regional Chief Financial Officer for its Asian insurance businesses. Previously, he was Vice President Finance at AIA, based in Hong Kong. Earlier in his career, he spent a decade with KPMG in London and Hong Kong.

Career history

• President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Financial (May 2025–present)
• President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Asia (2023–May 2025)
• Group Chief Financial Officer, Manulife (2018–2023)
• Chief Financial Officer, Manulife Asia (2014–2018)
• Asia Pacific Head of Business Finance, Retail Banking and Wealth Management, HSBC (2011–2014)
• KPMG positions in London and Hong Kong (audit and advisory in financial services)

Witherington holds an Executive MBA jointly awarded by the University of Edinburgh Management School (United Kingdom) and the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (Paris, France). He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (FCA) and the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FCPA). He obtained a degree in geography from the University of Durham with First Class Honours (1995–1998).

What Phil Witherington could bring to the role of CEO at Manulife Financial: Drawing on his proven track record navigating complex financial transformations, Witherington is well-positioned to drive sustainable growth across Manulife's global operations. His successful leadership of IFRS 17 and IFRS 9 implementation—a complex accounting transformation completed during his tenure as CFO—demonstrates his ability to manage large-scale organizational change. His deep expertise across developed and emerging Asian markets, combined with his experience building Manulife Asia into a major growth driver, positions him to expand the company's presence in high-growth regions while maintaining strong financial stewardship. Board Chair Don Lindsay cited his authentic leadership style and demonstrated ability to deliver on commitments as key assets for leading the organization forward.