At the helm: Allianz Thailand announces leadership succession as Lars Heibutzki and Sanghun Park take on new roles

Effective 1 January 2027, Heibutzki will succeed Wilson as Thailand Country Manager and CEO of Allianz Ayudhya Assurance and Allianz Ayudhya Capital, while Park will take over from Heibutzki as CEO of Allianz Ayudhya General Insurance.

Lars Heibutzki (pictured above, centre) will soon succeed Tom Wilson (pictured above, left) as Thailand Country Manager and CEO of Allianz Ayudhya, while Sanghun Park (pictured above, right) will take over as CEO of Allianz Ayudhya General Insurance from January 2027.

Announcing the leadership transition earlier this month, Anusha Thavarajah, Regional CEO, Allianz Asia Pacific said the appointments come as Allianz Thailand prepares for its next phase of growth in the Thai market.

Details on the appointments

Heibutzki has been appointed Deputy Thailand Country Manager with immediate effect and will succeed Wilson as Thailand Country Manager and CEO of Allianz Ayudhya Assurance and Allianz Ayudhya Capital on 1 January 2027, subject to regulatory approval.

Meanwhile, Park will join Allianz Ayudhya on 1 October 2026 as Deputy CEO of Allianz Ayudhya General Insurance. He will succeed Heibutzki as CEO of the general insurance business from 1 January 2027, also subject to regulatory approval.

Wilson, who has served as Thailand Country Manager and CEO, will retire at the end of 2026 after more than three decades in insurance and financial services, including nearly 20 years with Allianz.

During his tenure at Allianz Ayudhya, Wilson was credited with leading the business through a period of transformation, including strengthening its health capabilities and building a culture focused on business impact. Prior to joining the Thai business, he spent more than a decade leading Allianz's global risk management function as Group Chief Risk Officer.

Following his retirement, Wilson will continue to serve on the Board of Directors of Allianz Ayudhya Capital and will also join the Board of Directors of Allianz Taiwan Life, subject to regulatory approval.

Heibutzki brings nearly two decades of experience with Allianz across Asia Pacific and Europe. During his time in Thailand, he was credited with leading the turnaround of Allianz Ayudhya General Insurance and played a key role in the integration of Aetna and Sri Ayudhya, contributing to the transformation of Allianz Thailand's non-life business.

He was also instrumental in establishing the ONE Allianz Ayudhya country setup, bringing together capabilities across life, health and property and casualty (P&C).

Prior to joining Allianz Thailand, Heibutzki held regional leadership roles in distribution and P&C across Asia Pacific, alongside positions at Allianz Italy and Allianz SE. In his new role, he will oversee Allianz Thailand's broader business as the organisation continues to build on its integrated country setup.

Park, meanwhile, joins Allianz Ayudhya with 20 years of international insurance and reinsurance experience across Asia and Europe, including nearly 15 years with Allianz. Most recently, he served as Global Head of Retrocession at Allianz Re, where he oversaw the group's global reinsurance protection programme.

His experience at Allianz spans underwriting, portfolio management, reinsurance and market-facing activities. As CEO of Allianz Ayudhya General Insurance, Park will lead the company's general insurance business from January 2027.

Announcing the appointments, Thavarajah expressed her appreciation to Wilson and congratulated Heibutzki and Park on their new roles.

Photo / Allianz Asia Pacific