The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has confirmed the appointment of Dr Pius Apere as the substantive Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Linkage Assurance Plc. Apere was appointed acting managing director on January 1, 2017 following the exit of former managing director of the company.

Apere, a Nigerian/United Kingdom trained insurer and actuary will bring to bear his wealth of experience garnered over the last 30-years on the Linkage brand for more value creation for shareholders and the insuring public.

The Company is undergoing a restructuring both in human capital and technology, having launched seven new retail products on Monday, which market analysts, say mark a new beginning in the life of the underwriting firm.

A letter from NAICOM written 3rd February, 2017, signed by Pius Agbola, Director, (Authorization and Policy) for the commissioner of insurance and addressed to Chairman Board of Directors, Linkage Assurance Plc reads in part “Having reviewed your application, the supporting documents presented, and the interaction had with the Commission. The Commission is pleased to convey approval for appointment of Dr. Pius Apere as the managing director/Chief Executive officer of Linkage Assurance Plc.”

Apere holds a B.Sc from the University of Lagos, M.Sc and PhD in Actuarial Science from CASS Business School, City University in London. He is a Fellow of Institute of Insurance, London and Fellow Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria.

He worked at Ajibola Ogunshola & Co (Actuarial & Financial Consultants) in Nigeria from 1986-1989. He was the Life Manager at Unity Life & Insurance Company in Nigeria from 1989-1991. He was Consulting Partner at Chike Oyeka & Co (Actuarial Consultants) Nigeria from 1991-1992 and worked as the Head of Life Insurance Department at Cornerstone Insurance Company in Nigeria in 1992.

He worked as an Actuarial analyst for Lloyds Banking Group (HBOs), in Bristol, United Kingdom from 2008-2010 and with Ernst & Young in London from 2010-2011. In 2011 he assumed position of Managing Director of Achor Actuarial Services Limited in London before joining Linkage Assurance Plc as Deputy Managing Director.

A self-motivated and ambitious professional with experience in life insurance, general insurance, pensions, actuarial consultancy, knowledge in life office pricing, asset-liability modelling and computer skills, Dr. Apere has published a number of articles and journals including- Modelling Life Insurance New Business Risk – PhD Dissertation;The role of the Actuary in the context of Nigerian Pension Reform Act (PRA)

2014 (August 2014); The Challenges of Nigerian Insurance Industry and Possible Solutions (June2015);The key challenges of Nigerian Pension Industry and possible solutions –From an actuarial perspective (August 2015); The implications of PRA 2014 on management of private sector gratuity and pension schemes in Nigeria (December 2015); CBN Foreign Exchange Policy (Certain Items Not Valid for Forex) and Pension Funds’ Assets – Implications for Pensioners in Nigeria (February 2016); and The Future of Nigerian Insurance Industry Under the New CBN Flexible Foreign Exchange Policy Regime (July 2016).