To ensure a seamless handover, Gori will continue to serve as an advisor to the company until August 31, 2025.
Witherington brings extensive experience to his new role, having been part of Manulife’s Executive Leadership Team since 2017. He served as Chief Financial Officer for five years before assuming his current position overseeing Manulife’s Asia operations. Before joining Manulife in 2014, Witherington held senior roles at HSBC and AIA, accumulating over 25 years of experience in global insurance and financial services across both developed and emerging markets.
Earlier in his career, Witherington spent a decade with KPMG in London and Hong Kong. He holds a degree in Geography from the University of Durham and an executive MBA jointly awarded by the University of Edinburgh Management School and the École nationale des ponts et chaussées. Additionally, he is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales as well as the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
The transition marks a pivotal moment for Manulife as it prepares to build on Gori’s legacy with Witherington at the helm.
“The Board is unanimous in our support for Phil’s appointment,” Don Lindsay, Chair of the Board of Manulife said. “As both our Chief Financial Officer and now as CEO of the Asia Segment he has consistently demonstrated the ability to navigate complexity, deliver on commitments and drive change and highly engaged teams through his authentic leadership,” Mr. Lindsay added.
“Roy is an inspiring, values-driven leader who has transformed the company and delivered outstanding results over his tenure as our President and CEO,” Lindsay said. “Our company is well-positioned for sustained future growth because of Roy’s disciplined focus on execution and the tremendous team and culture he’s built,” added Lindsay. “On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Roy for his extraordinary energy, passion for and commitment to our company.”
“It has been my honour to serve as Manulife’s President and CEO and I’m extremely proud of our team’s many accomplishments. We’ve delivered superior operating results, de-risked our business, and become a digital customer leader in our industry,” said Gori. “These results have enabled us to deliver market leading total shareholder return and wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible dedication and engagement of our outstanding global team.”
“We’re now well-positioned to raise the bar on our aspirations for Manulife’s next chapter,” Gori added. “And I’m thrilled that Phil will lead that next phase in the company’s growth given his deep understanding of our global business and principled leadership. He has played a key role in our transformation journey, and I look forward to working with him to ensure a seamless transition.”
“It is an honour to be provided with the opportunity to lead the next chapter for Manulife. We are an historic organisation that has an incredible footprint, enviable capabilities, and an unrivalled history,” Witherington said. “It has been a privilege to work closely with Roy and the entire Executive Leadership Team in recent years, and I’m excited by the opportunity we have to build on our momentum, delivering high-quality sustainable growth for the benefit of our customers, colleagues, investors and the communities we operate in around the world,” he added.
