The era of professional managers in small and medium-sized insurance companies is accelerating

Recently, a public recruitment announcement has brought the demand for the general manager and deputy general manager positions at Guolian Life Insurance into the spotlight. Over ten years of experience in the insurance industry, a track record in corporate management, and familiarity with the underlying logic of the life insurance industry—this detailed set of hiring criteria reflects the current demand for “captains” among small and medium-sized insurance companies. This is not an isolated case; in recent months, several small and medium-sized insurance companies, such as Guoren Property Insurance and Zhujiang Life Insurance, have released “talent recruitment orders,” quietly intensifying a competition for talent focused on core management.

The general manager is responsible for the daily business management of the company, and candidates for this core position have traditionally been promoted internally. However, this practice is currently being challenged.

Beijing Business Daily reporters have noted that Guolian Group recently issued a highly eye-catching recruitment announcement, publicly seeking to hire one general manager and one deputy general manager (for the bank insurance channel) at Guolian Life Insurance. The wording in the announcement candidly states the intention behind this market-oriented recruitment: to further enhance the vitality and competitive strength of the enterprise.

Looking back, another insurance company’s talent selection has also pointed to a market-oriented path. According to news from Guoren Insurance, the current general manager is approaching retirement, and they plan to publicly recruit a general manager. By the end of 2025, Zhujiang Life Insurance’s official website had also released a recruitment announcement, publicly seeking five senior management positions from the industry, including general manager, financial officer, board secretary, chief investment officer, and chief compliance officer.

From Guolian Life Insurance to Guoren Insurance, and then to Zhujiang Life Insurance, these small and medium-sized insurance companies, distributed across different regions and with varying scales, are collectively looking outward, trying to find a “key person” through market-oriented methods who can lead the company out of its difficulties.

Jiang Han, a senior researcher at the Pangu Think Tank, stated that introducing “professional managers” can inject new vitality into insurance companies amid fierce homogenized competition. Professional managers typically possess rich industry experience and advanced management concepts, bringing new strategic ideas and operational models to the enterprise, thereby enhancing its market competitiveness. From the current trend, market-oriented recruitment is likely to become the “new normal” in the industry. As the insurance market develops, the demand for professional management talent is becoming increasingly urgent; public recruitment can broaden the talent pool, select executives that better align with the company’s development needs, and promote the overall improvement of management standards in the industry.

Long Ge, co-founder and general manager of Zhongtuobang, stated that the introduction of “professional managers” can break internal rigidities, bringing new resources and ideas to insurance companies, directly aiding in strategic transformation and innovation. In the face of homogenized competition and digital challenges, market-oriented recruitment has become a key avenue for small and medium-sized insurance companies to acquire practical and versatile talent. This practice is evolving from isolated cases into an “new normal” for the industry.

Behind this judgment, there is undoubtedly a pressing need for “incremental talent” within the industry. Compared to internal selection, the advantages of market-oriented recruitment are reflected in three dimensions: first, broadening the talent pool; second, enhancing selection transparency; and third, breaking the existing internal patterns. This practice has also been encouraged by regulatory publications. The “Corporate Governance Guidelines for Banking and Insurance Institutions” explicitly mentions encouraging banking and insurance institutions to adopt market-oriented recruitment mechanisms to select executives in an open and transparent manner, continuously improving the professional competence and business level of senior management personnel.

At the same time, this seemingly “thirsty for talent” competition also reflects the industry’s transformation pains and governance dilemmas. On one hand, the combination of declining interest rates and stricter regulations forces insurance companies to urgently need leaders with actuarial and financial backgrounds or those capable of managing asset-liability matching; on the other hand, the frequent “flash departures” of executives or long-term vacancies in some insurance companies compel shareholders to seek “breakthroughs” through market-oriented methods.

The increase in public recruitment of executives, in Long Ge’s view, is a sign of the industry’s maturity, reflecting the shift towards openness and professionalism in corporate governance and talent selection mechanisms. Behind this is the urgent need for “incremental talent” due to the deep transformation of the industry, as well as the “reinforcement” measures taken by small and medium-sized insurance companies to survive and develop amid intense competition. This also reflects the regulatory encouragement towards improving corporate governance.

Jiang Han also believes that the increase in public recruitment of general managers and other executives indicates a further improvement in industry maturity. This reflects the continuous improvement of governance structures in insurance companies, which are beginning to adhere to market rules and select talent through market-oriented methods. It also illustrates the intensifying competition in the industry, where companies need better managers to meet challenges and enhance market share and profitability. At the same time, the improvement of the regulatory environment has also provided favorable external conditions for market-oriented recruitment, prompting companies to pay more attention to the professional capabilities and comprehensive qualities of talent.

Beijing Business Daily reporter Hu Yongxin

(Editor: Qian Xiaorui)

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