Marking the start of something truly exciting

On Tuesday, a number of Manulife and John Hancock employees will join me to ring the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange. I invite you to join us live here at 9:28 am ET, just before the market opens.

This is a very special moment for our Company and our leadership team.

It’s also a reminder of the quick progression of time, and the rapid advance of technology.

Scores of traders once funnelled past the imposing columns of 11 Wall Street each morning, and most of the trading was done face-to-face and on paper. The same market today is underpinned by some of the world’s most sophisticated technology, with the ability to execute millions of transactions in the blink of an eye. But despite this transformation, the purpose of the exchange itself has remained constant.

It's difficult not to draw parallels to the financial services industry more broadly, as well as to our Company.

Manulife and John Hancock have for generations been a part of the lives of millions of customers around the world, helping them achieve their dreams and aspirations. And today, one of our top priorities is leveraging technology and innovation to empower our employees, delight our customers and deliver value for our shareholders.

We are building on a fantastic foundation. We have a strong global franchise, a talented and driven workforce, and deep bench strength among our senior leaders. We are steadfast in our promise to our customers, and we are putting them firmly at the core of everything we do.

To achieve our bold ambition and to transform Manulife and John Hancock into a digital, customer-centric market leader, we will require imagination, passion and tenacity. It is a tall order, but I’m confident we can achieve it together.

With that in mind, I invite you to tune in tomorrow to ring the bell with me, and mark the start of something truly exciting! 

-Roy