A passion for insurance

Datuk L Meyyappan of MCIS Zurich still gives his best to the insurance

AT age 62, most Malaysian men would have retired, especially if they have

been slogging away at one company for 43 years.

But not Datuk L Meyyappan, the chief executive officer of MCIS Zurich

Insurance Bhd (MCIS Zurich), who still clocks in everyday at 8am and

leaves around 7pm.

The grandfather of five still has a passion for his job, which was very

much evident when Malaysian Business caught up with him at his office in

Petaling Jaya.

Actually, Meyyappan's contract required him to work till age 60, but

after the merger between the corporatised MCIS Insurance Bhd (MCIS) and

Zurich Asia Insurance of Switzerland in 2002, the company requested him to

stay on until a suitable successor could be found.

Meyyappan, who became CEO in 1995, was instrumental in the merger and

under him, the business has progressed by leaps and bounds.

According to Bank Negara Malaysia figures, the currently unlisted MCIS

Zurich is number five (out of 16) in the life insurance business in terms

of new business premiums, and 24 (out of 45) in the non-life insurance

business in terms of total premium income. Its assets worth RM2.3 billion

have placed it amongst the top five Malaysian majority-owned insurance

companies in the country.

Satharuban Sivasubramaniam, a company lawyer, says Meyyappan, whom he

has known for over 10 years, did a lot for the insurance industry in his

past capacity as president of the Life Insurance Association of Malaysia

(LIAM).

`Meyyappan is a well-respected man with impeccable character who can

handle any situation calmly. In addition to being a disciplinarian, he is

always punctual. He is the grand old master of the insurance industry,' he

says.

Meyyappan's is...