"Her Strength" | Dehua An Gu Life General Manager Assistant Xiao Ping: Maintain Self-Recognition, No Need to Limit Yourself

From department head to core executive holding multiple roles including Assistant General Manager, Chief Information Officer, and Chief Operating Officer, Xiao Ping has been with Dehua Anju Life Insurance for twelve years as of 2026.

Over these twelve years, Xiao Ping has experienced and contributed to the localization and deep roots of this joint-venture life insurance company in China, witnessing changes in national insurance awareness, participating in the industry’s profound transformation, and honing sharp market foresight and deep industry insights. Whether in product transformation, marketing expansion, strategic planning, digitalization, or practicing the “full lifecycle customer management” concept, Xiao Ping has always been at the forefront of industry change, driving breakthroughs in product systems and service content through pragmatic actions.

As a seasoned professional in the financial and insurance industry, Xiao Ping believes that under current policy guidance, the insurance market environment is improving, providing a window for steady development and scale expansion for insurance institutions including Dehua Anju Life. She summarizes the future development path of the insurance market into three main directions: retirement, asset inheritance, and health protection, emphasizing the need for insurance companies to deepen risk-specific products, incorporate “warmth” into customer touchpoints, and build a full lifecycle service system.

From an individual perspective, Xiao Ping positions herself as a “multitalented” professional always adapting to environmental changes. Maintaining curiosity is her secret to staying passionate and recharging. Finding “personal space” and cultivating a positive team atmosphere are also key ways she alleviates pressure. The open and inclusive environment at Dehua Anju Life has supported her career, and as a female executive in finance, she also reflects deeply on the growth of women in the workplace and actively promotes related practices within the company.

Xiao Ping believes that today, women in the financial industry are no longer content with roles as executors or assistants but are pursuing greater influence in the workplace. In response to this trend, Dehua Anju Life is gradually building a diverse talent philosophy, providing more platforms for ambitious female employees to showcase their abilities.

“There’s no need to stick to your original expertise or past experiences; even re-examining the beliefs shaped since childhood is valuable.” This is not only sincere advice to women but also reflects her internal drive to break through and keep moving forward in her insurance career.

Dehua Anju Life Insurance
Assistant General Manager, Chief Information Officer, Chief Operating Officer
Xiao Ping

Selected Excerpts from the Conversation:

On Insurance Positioning and Industry Development: Three Main Directions Guide Future Insurance Growth; Digital Technology’s Increasing Role

Q: Since joining Dehua Anju Life in 2014 and participating in the company’s growth, you now shoulder three key roles: strategic coordination (Assistant General Manager), technology-driven (CIO), and operational implementation (COO). How does this unique “three-role” perspective help you understand the “customer-centric” strategy more systematically?

Xiao Ping: Although Dehua Anju Life is a relatively new joint-venture insurer, as early as 2020, we proactively proposed the concept of “full lifecycle customer management.” Before that, most industry players focused on effective policies as the core of customer management. We broke this limitation, no longer restricting services to traditional policyholders, but actively expanding to a broader user base—potential customers who have engaged with our services, as well as existing policyholders after maturity or claims. All are included in our comprehensive care and service system, striving to create warm, human-centered experiences.

Centered on the full lifecycle, we built a systematic customer operation framework, establishing a unified customer ID system and complete customer journey. This significantly enhanced our capabilities in customer insights, service delivery, and feedback collection, integrating technology, operations, and strategy organically.

We also launched the “Love + Digital Health Asset Management Expert” platform, which consolidates various health and wellness services. All users can apply for services in real-time via this platform, truly linking insurance protection with service. This allows us to continuously monitor end-to-end user experience, respond promptly to feedback, and optimize services, representing another key practice in implementing our full lifecycle strategy, operational system construction, and technological empowerment.

Q: The insurance industry is shifting from “policy seller” to “full lifecycle companion.” When leading product design or customer solutions, how does Dehua Anju Life demonstrate professionalism and protection? How do you incorporate “temperature”—product understandability, ease of application, and social responsibility—into your offerings?

Xiao Ping: We build a complete product and service system through a “protection + savings” strategy, long-term stable asset-liability management, and a “digital + ecological” modern service model, aiming to deliver protection precisely where it’s needed.

In product design, true professionalism is not just stacking features but deeply understanding and continuously refining solutions for specific risks.

Since 2015, we have proactively entered the silver-haired insurance market, aligning with aging trends, accurately identifying needs of seniors, non-standard health risks, and disability risks, providing diverse health and retirement protections. Our disability insurance business leads the industry, with a stable 80% market share, and we co-published the industry’s first “Disability Income Loss Insurance White Paper” with Shandong University of Finance and Economics to promote high-quality development. To date, we have provided insurance coverage valued at 227 billion yuan for 828,000 middle-aged and elderly clients.

In customer service, we adhere to a full lifecycle service system that emphasizes warmth. This is not just a slogan but must be integrated into every customer touchpoint.

We launched three major elderly care brands—“An Travel & Stay,” “An Home Care,” and “An Nursing”—covering travel, home, and institutional care across over 200 cities in 30 provinces, with over 1,000 partner facilities, meeting diverse senior care needs. Using VR experiences, care planning tools, and transparent underwriting policies, we make future planning intuitive and predictable. Digital self-service exceeds 96%, and we have launched “Air Customer Service” to ensure elderly-friendly warmth.

In social responsibility, we focus on school-enterprise cooperation, public welfare, and industry promotion—co-building training bases with Shandong University of Finance and Economics, releasing the “Disability Income Loss Insurance White Paper,” and engaging in activities supporting the elderly, aiding children with autism, and providing insurance for education. We participate annually in Insurance Publicity Day and organize eco-friendly events like Net Mountain and glow-in-the-dark runs.

Q: Under current macro conditions, what new opportunities do you see for the insurance industry, especially for companies like Dehua Anju Life that emphasize long-term value and professional service?

Xiao Ping: Over the past decade, the Chinese insurance industry has experienced rapid growth and sharp downturns. Recently, under correct policy and regulatory guidance, the market environment has continued to improve, creating a favorable development window for companies committed to steady growth and risk management, including us. We have adopted strategic measures such as optimizing individual insurance channels and reactivating bancassurance.

Additionally, China’s economic transformation has led to structural changes in residents’ insurance needs: first, retirement protection is now a primary focus, with rising demand for related products and services; second, demand for protection-type products is increasing, as people realize that even without major risks, sufficient coverage is necessary for quality retirement; third, high-net-worth individuals are becoming the main customer base, with stronger purchasing power and planning awareness, supporting the high-end insurance market. This requires us to focus on high-end product and service development.

Furthermore, data and technology have shifted from “enabling tools” to “core assets” and productivity. From inception, we positioned digitalization as a strategic priority alongside individual channels, always centered on customer needs, leveraging digital empowerment to provide warm, human-centered products and services.

Big data and AI will fundamentally reshape the value chain, enabling personalized, dynamic pricing; blockchain could revolutionize policy certification, health data sharing, and anti-fraud efforts; AI will deeply participate in underwriting, claims, customer service, and even investment decision support. We have elevated AI to a strategic level, actively promoting its application in front-end scenarios, aiming to make AI a truly “useful” technology that enhances efficiency, fosters business innovation, and improves customer experience.

While innovating, we remain vigilant about risks such as data security, privacy, technological strategy, and reliability. We continuously assess and manage risks to ensure safe, reliable, and controlled innovation.

In summary, the future core directions of the insurance market include retirement planning, asset inheritance for high-net-worth families, and health protection. Technological capability will become as vital as capital and talent, forming a core strategic asset. We will continue to deepen these areas, seize cyclical opportunities, and pursue high-quality development.

On Women’s Development and Self-Improvement: Core Values Are Increasingly Evident; Stay Curious, Not Self-Limiting

Q: Based on your experience, what are the core values of women’s leadership? Have the values and career aspirations of women in the workplace changed in recent years?

Xiao Ping: In recent years, women’s leadership has gained widespread attention. Traditionally, we emphasized traits like meticulousness, empathy, pragmatism, and communication skills—these are indeed advantages unique to women.

However, now we increasingly see that gender differences in the workplace are narrowing—whether in workload, responsibilities, or industry involvement, gender no longer defines boundaries.

In the insurance and finance sectors, women’s self-awareness and career pursuits have undergone profound changes. Their contributions are no longer confined to traditional roles like finance, customer service, or compliance; they actively seek influence and impact, balancing career and family more stably. Historically, women in senior roles were mostly in support functions, but this is changing—more women are leading in IT, actuarial, and key business channels. The proportion of women CEOs and chairpersons has significantly increased.

As markets mature, women’s talents in operations, team cohesion, and resilience are increasingly recognized. They can understand team needs delicately, resolve resistance, and drive execution. The core value of women leaders is becoming clearer and more powerful.

Q: In response to these changes, has Dehua Anju Life made adaptive adjustments in talent selection, motivation, and development for women?

Xiao Ping: Dehua Anju Life always adheres to the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion. We treat all employees equally, respect and support women’s development, and create fair career opportunities. Currently, women make up 49% of our staff, and in middle and senior management, the ratio is reasonable; women in executive roles account for 44%, reflecting fairness and openness in our talent practices.

Going forward, we will continue to promote diversity, empower women, and support more talented women to join management ranks, enabling them to leverage their strengths and contribute to high-quality growth.

Q: The high-pressure environment in finance is the norm. Do you have unique methods for managing stress or recharging energy, to maintain long-term passion, self-motivation, and progress amid societal and industry changes?

Xiao Ping: High pressure is inherent in finance. It comes from company growth needs, societal expectations, regulatory requirements, market shifts, and technological disruptions. As I age, managing stress and maintaining enthusiasm become even more important.

My key approaches include: first, maintaining curiosity—pursuing higher goals and trying new things keeps me engaged and prevents burnout. Second, separating work and life—creating a personal “secret garden” for reading, exercise, cooking, or spending time with pets helps me relax and broaden my perspective. Third, building strong emotional bonds with colleagues and teams—trust and collaboration make work more enjoyable and energizing. Such an environment is a vital energy source.

Q: On Women’s Day, what gentle yet firm growth advice would you share with working women based on your experience?

Xiao Ping: For personal growth, especially for women: first, love and accept yourself. This fosters inner harmony and makes you stronger, more complete in ability and character.

Second, based on self-love and acceptance, don’t limit yourself. Avoid setting excessive boundaries on your actions or beliefs. Re-examine childhood notions and be open to change. We live in an era of constant breaking and reshaping of old paradigms—embracing change and exploration is perhaps the best attitude for the future. How to coexist harmoniously with oneself during this process is equally important. Not losing oneself or making things difficult for oneself, always holding love and affirmation for who you are, helps maintain a gentle yet firm heart amid a changing world.

Text by Wang Xinyu
Edited by Xu Nan