Ashok Shah’s education is in Applied Chemistry. He is a Chartered Insurer with ACII. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb) and an Associate of the Insurance Institute of Kenya (AIIK). He is a past Chairman of Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI) and currently the Group Chief Executive of Apollo Investments Limited which owns APA Insurance, APA Life, APA Uganda, Apollo Asset Management amongst others. He is a Director of CDSC representing the Capital Market Challenge Fund. Other directorships include Island Life Assurance Mauritius, and Reliance Insurance Company Ltd, Tanzania. He served on Barclays Bank and ABSA Bank Board retiring after 9 years.
He is a seasoned executive with nearly 50 years of progressive experience within the Insurance Industry both in East Africa and England. A solid reputation for achieving corporate growth objectives through providing strategic direction, diverse perspectives and positive leadership. Known within the industry for driving business results and maximising profitability through the delivery of innovative products, quality and service and prudent management of people, technology and processes. Under his leadership covers were introduced for HIV when other insurers declined these covers, and he led several insurers to pool their resources to cover Small Holder Farmers and Pastoralists. Through his business and philanthropic activities he has created many initiatives to help the underprivileged. He initiated the building of Sand Dams for communities in semi arid areas. To date, under the APA Apollo Foundation 30 dams have been built. At the onset of the covid pandemic, APA continued to give full cover to those insured under its health covers while the needy were given food and rations on a regular basis to feed their families. The foundation supports Children, Youth, Water and Environment.
In 2010 he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award for services to the Insurance industry. In 2019 APA Insurance received the European Microfinance Award for Strengthening Resilience to climate change, from Ashok’s push for covering small holder farmers and pastoralists and building sand dams in the semi-arid parts of Kenya. He has been nominated to EY Entrepreneur of the Year, AABLA Entrepreneur and Philanthropy.
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