Sythan Prou
Forte Life Assurance
Chief Executive Officer
Sythan Prou is Chief Executive Officer of Forte Life Assurance, Cambodia’s largest life insurer. He shares with Qorus’ Boris Plantier how his roots and international experience have shaped his leadership approach.
Please tell us a little bit about your background.
I grew up in rural Cambodia and began my career in the public sector more than 20 years ago; today I’m CEO of Forte Life Assurance, the country’s largest life insurer. Since 2012, I’ve helped build the industry—launching Cambodia’s first international life insurer and scaling bancassurance, new distribution, and product innovation—so families can finally access simple, reliable, affordable protection; all of our customers are first-time policyholders. Our nation lost three decades to war and genocide, and that history anchors my mission: serve people, safeguard the public interest, develop future leaders, and bring Cambodia to the international stage. A trusted voice in regulatory reform and public advocacy, I serve on key national and Asia-level committees.
I hold two master’s degrees from King’s College London and Yokohama National University, with executive programs at Ivey Business School and Melbourne Business School; honors include Asia Insurance Review Young Leader (2021), ALB 40 Under 40 (2018), and the 2025 Medal of National Merit—our highest royal honor. Above all, as a CEO, husband, and father, I measure success by every claim that keeps a family going and a child in school.
What does your workplace look like?
Open, light-filled, and collaborative—green corners, long tables, and an open door (literally) to my office. Our 2025 motto—“Be Bold. Be Difference.”—is on the walls and in our decisions. The lobby converts into a quarterly town hall; we have a boardroom, meeting rooms, a warm pantry, and a small café downstairs for partners and customers.
What truly defines our workplace is the feeling you get when you walk in every morning: pride. We are a Cambodian-born insurer, built by Cambodians, held to international standards in our governance, financial and capital systems—protecting the largest customer base in the country, nearly one million lives. That purpose keeps us grounded and accountable; more than 10 families receive claim benefits from us every day. Since becoming CEO, I also brought every department under one roof—speeding decisions, strengthening teamwork, and improving how we serve customers.
Could you describe your usual working day?
I start early—run or strength work, breakfast and coffee—then I’m in by about 8 a.m. I clear approvals and messages, prioritizing partners, regulators, and our teams. Meetings are purposeful: weekly one-to-ones with direct reports on sales and business performance in respective areas, and quarterly skip-level sessions to listen and unblock.
My legal-analytical discipline endures: I read widely, review rigorously, stay practical and ethical, and decide deliberately. I stay close to the numbers—and to our sales and distribution teams—because the best ideas often start at a branch, with one customer, in one honest conversation. As a former national-level math competitor, that grounding in logic and numbers still anchors how I lead and how we run the business. If there are no evening catch-ups, I leave around 6–7 p.m., with a clear desk and inbox.
What is your favorite food?
I’m a healthy-first eater and a creature of routine. I grew up on Khmer food and, over the past 20 years, I’ve enjoyed exploring broader Asian and European cuisines. When something works, I stick with it—and when I can, I’ll eat raw vegetables from my parents’ farm in Phnom Penh. If “food” includes nourishment for the mind, then books and podcasts are on my plate too.
What do you do when you need a break from work?
Leadership needs balance. My breaks are deliberately family-centered and personal-effectiveness focused. Each evening I call my parents—those few minutes keep me grounded and grateful—and I clear any missed calls and messages. Weekends and holidays belong to my wife and children; their grandparents’ home in the city is where the young cousins gather and bond. I practice daily self-reflection and read to sharpen perspective—what went well, what I can improve—so I show up with the right energy. I’m committed to continuous improvement; right now I’m deep into running and golf, training for new personal bests—from the marathon to lowering my handicap.
What is the key to building a successful team?
Roles and purpose come first—then we find the person who truly fits. We hire excellent people—our “leaders” and “best at what they do”—and empower them to build the next layer of strong teams. I place the best talent in the market into roles where they can win. We invest early in succession for critical positions because we’re building an institution, not just a good year.
I look for long-term thinkers who are disciplined, rational, practical, and resilient, with the courage to avoid shortcuts. Health and attitude matter as much as skills. We decide better when we triangulate data from multiple sources and seek senior counsel. And because I began in the public sector, I’m committed to developing future Cambodian leaders—inside Forte and across the country.
We learn more from failure than success. Tell me about one failure and what you learned.
Early in my career I was too rigid—overly theoretical and principle-first. I chased the “textbook” answer and missed practical realities, and I stumbled more than once because of it. Then I spent nearly three years in Japan completing my master’s; adapting to a new culture taught me humility, context, and agility.
The lesson: keep the principles, but apply them with pragmatism and flexibility. Today I still anchor decisions in ethics, logic, and the law—paired with listening, context, and speed. That balance delivers better outcomes for customers and teams without compromising what matters.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to succeed in financial services?
Master the fundamentals—keep a learning mindset, stay agile, read between the lines, understand context, and truly know your customers—while never compromising on integrity. This is a trust business. Lead with a long-term view, discipline, and a genuine passion to help others.
Personally, I struggled financially through secondary school and university. That taught me the dignity of budgeting, the cost of uncertainty, and the value of protection. Building strong finances—for families and for the system—is in my blood and my purpose. Focus on protecting people and doing the right thing, even when no one is watching; good deeds compound into good results. Over 20+ years, the formula has held: serve with purpose, stay principled, adapt in practice—and success will follow for you and the communities you serve.
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