Tarun Chugh appointed PNB MetLife MD

Present MD Rajesh Relan to become head of bank distribution for Asia

PNB MetLife on Monday said it had appointed Tarun Chugh as managing director. It also announced Rajesh Relan, the present managing director, would be appointed as head of bank distribution for the Asia region.

Chugh joins PNB MetLife from ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, where he served as chief of distribution, operations & marketing for India and was responsible for the day-to-day management of all business functions.

Chugh will oversee all of MetLife’s business and operations in India and be part of MetLife’s Asia leadership team.

He will report to MetLife’s Asia president, Christopher Townsend and to the PNB MetLife board in the new role. He will start with MetLife as soon as he fulfils his obligations with his current employer and the appointment is subject to regulatory approval.

Relan will now be responsible for overseeing MetLife’s strategic engagement with bank partners in Asia, assisting its local teams in building sales and service models, broadening sales and distribution channels, and strengthening MetLife’s business partnerships.

He will remain in his current role until Chugh is formally appointed. Under Relan’s seven year leadership, PNB MetLife has become one of the fastest growing life insurance companies in the country. The cessation of Relan’s current role is also subject to regulatory approval.

Christopher Townsend, MetLife's President of Asia said, “These two key appointments (of Chugh and Relan) will help spearhead the next phase of growth for MetLife in Asia and advance our quest to deliver greater shareholder returns.”