- Business
- Great Eastern Holdings Limited is a Singapore-based investment holding company specializing in life and general insurance products and related financial services. The company offers a comprehensive suite of insurance products including life insurance; long-term health and accident insurance; annuities; general insurance products such as auto, home, travel, personal accident, and maid insurance for retail customers; and various property and casualty insurance for businesses. It operates primarily through multiple distribution channels including a tied agency force, bancassurance partnerships—most notably with OCBC Bank—a direct digital platform, digital partnerships, financial advisory firms including Great Eastern Financial Advisers, and brokers. The company also engages in fund management and financial advisory services as part of its shareholders' category. Its insurance business is geographically focused in Singapore and Malaysia, with additional regional activities in Asia. Founded in 1908 and headquartered in Singapore, Great Eastern is a wholly owned subsidiary of Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited (OCBC).
In the past 1-2 years, Great Eastern has undertaken several significant strategic initiatives. In 2024, it experienced a failed delisting bid by parent company OCBC, resulting in resumption of trading on the Singapore Exchange with strengthened free float. The company simultaneously launched a refreshed corporate brand, updating its lion motif logo and tagline to "An OCBC Company" to reflect a more modern and progressive image. Great Eastern is actively expanding its high-net-worth client capabilities and targeting doubling new business value over the medium to long term by developing tailored offerings and leveraging technology such as artificial intelligence to enhance customer engagement and advisory processes. It continues to deepen its bancassurance partnership with OCBC while emphasizing a customer-led, digital-first approach to service. The group also maintains a strong focus on operational resilience and sustainability aligned with evolving market and regulatory demands.
Great Eastern's subsidiaries include Great Eastern General Insurance Limited, which provides a broad range of commercial and personal general insurance products. The group has over S$117 billion in assets under management and more than 15.5 million policyholders, including government schemes, underpinning its strong market presence in the life and general insurance sectors across the region.
Overall, Great Eastern Holdings Limited is a leading insurer in Singapore and Malaysia, delivering diversified insurance and financial products across life, health, accident, general, and group insurance markets, while driving growth through digital innovation, strategic partnerships, and enhanced service models to cater to evolving customer needs. Its legacy as one of the oldest insurers coupled with strategic modernization initiatives continues to position it as a prominent player in the regional insurance industry.