for Oona Philippines president Noy Rollan, leading the company feels like coming full circle.
His exposure to the industry began early, shaped by a family whose livelihood depended on insurance. His father worked at the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), and all three of his brothers also built careers in the same field.
“We literally grew up eating insurance,” he said, noting that he refused to escape the shadow of his family’s legacy in the industry, embracing it instead as a driving force in his own career.
Calculated leap
Rollan’s career began in reinsurance, where he developed a foundational understanding of how risk is priced and shared. Over time, he transitioned to direct insurance and eventually rose to lead companies that are shaping the future of the industry.
Yet his path wasn’t always straightforward. A mechanical engineering graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, Rollan started as a management trainee.
He was given two options – hospitality or insurance – and chose the latter. With a background in engineering and a natural grasp of risk, insurance, and risk management simply made sense to him.
His leadership journey also spans logistics, where he served as country manager for global giants UPS and TNT. These roles eventually led him to establish his own firm, Transolutions Logistics, now managed by his children.
One of his aspirations is to embed insurance into daily life. “Imagine buying coverage at convenience stores. Scan a QR code, get insured in minutes,” he said.
Unrelenting passion
A part-time professor, Rollan also brings his leadership principles into the classroom, teaching at Ateneo de Manila’s graduate school.
“Teaching is the most fulfilling thing I do. When someone tells me they got promoted because of something I taught, that’s everything. That’s my living trophy,” he said.
At 64, Rollan shows no sign of slowing down. He once tried taking a three-month break, but it didn’t stick—he still has too many ideas. His philosophy is straightforward: nothing is impossible; it’s simply a matter of whether one is willing to pay the price. If so, there’s always a solution.
These days, his weekends are quieter—tennis, walks with his wife and volleyball on TV—but the fire remains.
Red to black
As Rollan brings his systems-driven leadership to Oona Philippines, the broader Oona Insurance Group is setting ambitious targets.
With a growth forecast of 30 to 35 percent in 2025, the company is betting big on product innovation, diversified distribution, and customer-centered digital experiences.
“This year, we’re beginning to see the fruits of our labor. All the partnerships we’ve cultivated, across agencies, brokers, digital platforms, and new product lines, are now delivering results,” said Oona Insurance chief executive Abhishek Bhatia.
With 24 years of global experience, Bhatia has built a track record of scaling insurance ventures in emerging markets. Before founding Oona, he helped transform FWD Singapore into a digital leader and held key roles across Prudential’s international businesses.
Under his leadership, Oona has established a multi-channel distribution network in the Philippines: more than 2,500 agents, major broker partnerships, and over 15 digital and banking allies including GCash, Globe, UnionBank, and Home Credit.
“We’re growing across all fronts, retail, SME, agency, and broker, and we expect bottom-line growth to outpace revenue,” Bhatia added.
Bridging the gap
Oona’s early focus on the Philippines, along with Indonesia, was driven by solid macro fundamentals: a growing middle class, rising incomes, and strong remittance flows.
“The country was often overshadowed by neighbors like Indonesia and Vietnam. But post-pandemic, it became clear that the Philippines is ready for an insurance renaissance,” Bhatia said.
Both Bhatia and Rollan are aligned in their broader mission – to close the country’s protection gap through digital scale and customer-first design.
“Our purpose is to empower people to live life boundlessly. When the unexpected happens, we want customers to carry on without missing a beat,” Rollan said.
