BPI MS CEO rallies customer database growth, develops packaged products

He has led the company to launch products with bite-sized premiums and establish alternative distribution channels.

Growing the customer database is vital for sustained growth, but it is equally a big challenge for many organisations, with only a few succeeding in delivering their committed growth numbers.

Under the leadership of Ichiro Iwabuchi, president and CEO of BPI MS Insurance Corporation, the company has achieved unprecedented milestones, cementing its position as a frontrunner in the Philippine insurance industry.

In 2023, Iwabuchi inspired the organisation to adopt a bold vision of growth and innovation. His leadership empowered teams to explore new approaches, resulting in the successful introduction of accessible and customer-centric insurance solutions.

With this, he directed and authorised the Underwriting, Information Technology, Corporate Sales, and Alternative Distribution Teams to develop simple packaged products with bite-sized premiums delivered over digital platforms, either directly to customers or in partnership with some of the best third-party companies in the Philippines.

His guidance allowed BPI MS to launch several products and services over the past year. This included Personal Accident 365, Personal Cyber Insurance, GCash Card Protect, Personal Accident Deposit Bundle, Home Credit Online Claims Notification Portal, and BPI Safe Sakay, amongst others.

By October 2024, these initiatives brought the company’s customer count to over 1.2 million—a landmark achievement that underscores the organisation’s unwavering dedication to expanding its reach and enhancing customer experiences.

Aside from developing products with bite-sized premiums, Iwabuchi also effectively orchestrated the establishment of an alternative distribution and marketing department to pursue B2B and B2B2C partnerships, as well as the expansion of Express Protect from a mere e-commerce platform into an engine that powered embedded and online initiatives.

For his transformative contributions, Iwabuchi was recognised as the Philippines Executive of the Year - General Insurance by the esteemed Asian Management Excellence Awards 2025. The award highlights his visionary leadership and ability to drive meaningful growth, setting a benchmark for excellence in the insurance sector.

The awards programme celebrates the most successful business leaders, innovators, and companies in Asia by recognising exceptional achievements in various domains, including employee engagement programmes, diversity and inclusion projects, and health and wellness initiatives.

The Asian Management Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2026 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's employee engagements and management initiatives, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].