As Witherington prepares for his new role, he will continue to lead Manulife Asia and announce his successor in the upcoming months. Credit: Visited places/Shutterstock. 

Manulife Financial Corporation has announced Phil Witherington as the new CEO, with Roy Gori, the existing president and CEO, set to retire on 8 May 2025.  

Witherington, who is currently serving as president and CEO of Manulife Asia, will succeed Gori and join the board of directors at that time. 

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To ensure a smooth transition, Gori will remain as an advisor until 31 August 2025.  

Witherington has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance and financial services sectors.  

He joined the company in 2014 and was part of the executive leadership team since 2017. 

His previous roles include chief financial officer at Manulife and various positions at HSBC and AIA. 

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Witherington’s background includes a decade with KPMG in London and Hong Kong. Additionally, he is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants. 

As Witherington prepares for his new role, he will continue to lead Manulife Asia and announce his successor in the upcoming months.  

Manulife added Mike Durland and Don Kanak to its board in March. Anna Manning and John Wong have been nominated for election as directors of the company. 

Witherington said. “It has been a privilege to work closely with Roy and the entire executive leadership team in recent years, and I am 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.” 

“It has been my honour to serve as Manulife’s president and CEO and I am extremely proud of our team’s many accomplishments. We have delivered superior operating results, de-risked our business and become a digital customer leader in our industry,” said Gori.  

He added: “I am 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.”