W. Jean Kwon, Ph.D., CPCU
Edwin A.G. Manton Chair Professor in
International Insurance and Risk Management
Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science
St. John's University, New York City
+1 (212) 277-5196
Professor W. Jean Kwon, holding the Edwin A.G. Manton Endowed Chair Professorship in International Insurance and Risk Management, has been with the Greenberg School of Risk Management (GSRM, formerly The College of Insurance), St. John’s University, New York, since his return to the GSRM in 2002. Additionally, he works with GSRM’s Center for the Study of Insurance Regulation and is the editor-in-chief of the Asia-Pacific Journal of Risk and Insurance. He has authored several books (including a Kulp-Wright Award-winning “Risk Management and Insurance: Perspectives in a Global Economy,” which has been used in 15+ countries), actively publishes academic and policy-related papers, and speaks at various conferences for academic, private, and public sector audiences. He visits overseas universities and research institutions during school breaks.
Previously, he was with, among others, Georgia State University (US), Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and the Institutes (US). He helped to establish the Asia-Pacific Risk and Insurance Association (APRIA) in 1997, the World Risk and Insurance Economics Congress (WRIEC) in 2005, and the Research Network (a consortium of 20+ research centers in risk and insurance worldwide) of the International Insurance Society. He has had working relationships with, among others, the Geneva Association, Singapore College of Insurance, Lloyd's, the OECD, the International Insurance Society, Financial Accreditation Agency (Malaysia), Networks Financial Institute (US), Singapore Economic Forum, Shanghai Forum, and China International Risk Forum. He was listed as a Fulbright Insurance Specialist.
He specializes in international insurance & regulation, country insurance market analysis, insurer performance analysis, insurance innovations as well as emerging risks and insurance solutions. He currently devotes his time to examining the future of insurance from a historical perspective and to completing his book about reinsurance technical accounts.
Positions Holding/Held (Selected)
Edwin A.G. Manton Endowed Chair Professor in International Insurance and Risk Management, The Greenberg School of Risk Management, St. John's University, New York
Academic Director, the Center for the Study of Insurance Regulation, St. John's University
Editor-in-Chief, Asia-Pacific Journal of Risk and Insurance
Editorial Board, The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance
International Advisory Board, Singapore College of Insurance
Nomination Subcommittee, International Insurance Society
Senior Fellow, Networks Financial Institute, Indiana State University
Research Fellow, Insurance Institute of Waseda University, Japan
Editorial Board, AIDA European Research Series
Past President, Asia-Pacific Risk and Insurance Association (APRIA)
Organization Committee, World Risk and Insurance Economics Congress 2005 & 2010
Director of Research, International Insurance Society (Position Closed)
Technical Committee, Finance Accreditation Agency, Malaysia (Closed)
Advisory Board, the Center for Insurance Culture Studies, Korea
Academic Advisor, International Insurance Foundation (Dissolved)
Fulbright Senior Specialist (Insurance)
Member, Bipartisan Task Force on Innovation in Financing Flood Risk, U.S. Congress
Consultant (Insurance), OECD
Member, Risk and Capital Working Committee, Joint Forum
Publications - Books and Papers (Selected)
Greenfield Foreign Direct Investments and Insurance Market Diversification: A Cross-country Analysis, 2023, The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance-Issues and Practice.
An Analysis of the Ownership and Customer Support Activities of Mutual Insurance Companies: Nordic Journal of Business. 2022, Nordic Journal of Business.
Further Advances of Takaful Operations Globally, February 2021, Middle East Insurance Review
Rethinking Insurance Cover During Pandemics, October 2019, Asia Insurance Review
Application of Parametric Insurance in Principle-Compliant and Innovative Ways: Risk Management and Insurance Review, 2020
How Technology Can Help Bridge the Protection Gap, Insurance Development Forum, 2019 (contributor)
Triggering Innovation: Parametric Insurance, Lloyd's report (for Lloyd's members only), 2019, Lloyds of London
The Insurance Business in Transition to the Cyber-Physical Market: Communication, Coordination and Harmonization of Cyber Risk Coverages, (Working Paper, SSRN) June 2018
Analytical Tools for the Insurance Market and Macro-prudential Surveillance: OECD Journal: Financial Market Trends, 2016
Insurer Resolution Processes and Supervision of Insurance and Non-Traditional and Non-Insurance (NTNI) Activities: International Insurance Society and the Center for the Study of Insurance Regulation, 2015
Collegiate Education in Risk Management and Insurance Globally: Past, Present and Future: International Insurance Society and the Center for the Study of Insurance Regulation, 2015
China’s Risk Oriented Solvency System (C-ROSS): Insurance Operations in China and Abroad, Swiss Re’s Center for Global Dialogue in English and Chinese, 2014
An Analysis of Cost Efficiency and the Impact of Corporate Governance on Takaful Insurance Operations: International Review of Financial Analysis, 2014
Human Capital Risk and Talent Management Issues in the Insurance Market: Public Policy, Industry and Collegiate Education Perspectives: The Geneva Paper-Issues and Practice (June 2013 and January 2014)
OECD Global Insurance Statistics, OECD-ASSAL Seminar, 2013
Risk Management and Insurance: Perspectives in a Global Economy (Book), Boston: John Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, 2007
Risk Management and Insurance in Singapore (Book), Singapore: Singapore College of Insurance, 2000
Presentations (Selected)
A Story of Insurance: the Past for the Future, the Insurance Society of Peking University, Tsinghua University and Renmin University, Peking University, China. (October 2023).
Artificial Intelligence in Insurance and Moral Hazard, Eastern Europe Risk and Insurance Association. (September 2023).
Understanding ESG Investment By & For Insurance Companies in Selected Jurisdictions, 3rd Annual EU-ASEAN Pension & Insurance Advocacy & Thought Leadership Dialogue, World Pensions Council. (December 2022).
Parametric Insurance and Regulation, The Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel. (November 2022)
Leading with Purpose through Innovation and Insurtech, Mutual Insurance Conference, Rome (October 2022)
Shaping the Future of Insurance Through the Eyes of History, History of Insurance in a Global Perspective: An International Conference, Basel. (July 2022).
Commercial Use of Parametric Insurance: A Principle Compliant Way: London School of Economics, 2021
A Look at the Insurance Industry: Changing Risks & New Approaches: World Pensions Council, Brussell, 2020
Parametric Insurance for the Private Sector: Korea Risk Management Society and Korea Insurance Research Institute, Seoul, 2020
