Thomas Cheong, President Commissioner

Thomas Cheong became President Commissioner for PT Principal Asset Management since January 2020 and became Executive Vice President and President of Principal Asia Pacific and Middle East since 2023.
 
He is responsible for leading the development of the retail pension, long-term savings, and asset management business for Principal in Asia, while managing key partnerships in the region. He is a member of the Principal senior management team and currently serves on the boards of several Principal subsidiaries. 

Thomas joined Principal in January 2015 and has more than 20 years of management experience in Asia, holding various senior management positions with profit and loss responsibilities. His extensive experience in the asset management, pension, and life insurance businesses included appointments as president of North Asia for Principal International; CEO and executive director of Manulife Asset Management (Taiwan); country head overseeing Manulife's joint venture asset management business in mainland China; CEO of the Prudential UK's China and Malaysia asset management companies, and the director of corporate development in Prudential UK's Singapore life insurance business.

Qualifications: Obtained Bachelor’s degree in econometrics (first class honours) from the London School of Economics and Political Science in United Kingdom, Master of Business Administration (MBA) and inducted to Beta Gamma Sigma Honorary Business School Society from the Olin Business School of Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL), in USA, member of WUSTL’s Alumni Board of Governor and regional advisory council (Hong Kong).