ICSB, International Certification & Standards Board (2025/2027)
The International Certification and Standards Board (ICSB) is a standing committee of APFinSA which governs the professional certifications and education pathways of the association. It incorporates curriculum for Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner (FChFP), Associate Chartered Financial Practitioner (AChFP) and Chartered Life Practitioner (ChLP) designations for the financial practitioners in the Asia Pacific region.
ICSB Chairman
Mr. Banyong Witayaweerasak
Thailand
Mr Banyong Witayaweerasak
Mr Banyong Witayaweerasak has a wealth of experience in the financial industry and has worked in the insurance field for 35 years. He is actively involved in many social activities and projects serving the community in Thailand. After graduating from the faculty of Pharmacy, Mr. Banyong Witayaweerasak worked as a volunteer in public health for a year before joining AIA in 1985.
Mr Banyong was in the Committee of a public company, Community Pharmacy Public Company Limited, for more than 10 years. He has been invited to serve in Education working groups from both the office of Insurance Commission and Thai Life Assurance Association. Mr Banyong is a business columnist for a leading business newspaper in Thailand. He has written many articles about financial and business issues for more than 20 years and he is the author of a pocket book named “Financial Fraud”.
He was the President of Thai Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (THAIFA) from 2009 to 2011. During his term, he revitalized the Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner (FChFP) course which is now very popular among Thai insurance agents. Currently, Mr Banyong is the Advisor to THAIFA Board. He also serves as the Advisor of the International Certification and Standard Board (also referred to as the ICSB) which is a key standing committee of APFinSA, governing the FChFP curriculum.
Mr Banyong holds 3 designations, FChFP ChLP and RFC. He was the founder of “ThaiFinancialAdvisor.com” which is the very first financial planning web site in Thailand. He has worked in Insurance field for more than 34 years. At present, Mr Banyong is a Senior District Manager in AIA (Thailand).
Mr Banyong Witayaweerasak has served in the Asia Pacific Financial Services Association (APFinSA) during the following terms:
- Honorary Treasurer for term 2015-2019
- Chairman for term 2019-2021 and Immediate Past Chairman 2021-2025.
- Currently he has been nominated as the Chairman of ICSB for the term 2025/2027.
Currently he serves in the APFinSA Board as its Immediate Past Chairman. He is also Advisor to ICSB for the term 2021/2023.
ICSB Member
Mr. Matthew Kang
Singapore
Mr. Matthew Kang
Mr Matthew Kang is a Senior Vice-President of Financial Services at Manulife Advisory Group (MAG), leading an agency of highly productive Financial Planners, Managers and Senior Managers. He has been with Manulife for more than three decades.
Mr Matthew Kang served as the National President of the Insurance & Financial Practitioners Association of Singapore (IFPAS) for two terms from 1999 to 2001.
Apart from the financial services industry, Mr Matthew Kang is also very active in the community in Singapore. He is a Senior Grassroots Leader and serves as the Chairman of Ci Yuan CCMC (Community Club Management Committee) in Ang Mo Kio Group Representative Constituency, a member of Ang Mo Kio – Hougang CCC (Citizen Consultative Committee), a Town Councillor at Ang Mo Kio Town and sits in its Audit & Risk Management Committee. Mr Kang was once the Chairman of one of Singapore’s most successful professional football club. Until several years ago, Mr Matthew Kang was Chairman of the more than 30,000-strong congregation of the New Creation Church, the largest church in Singapore and now continue to serve as a member of the Church Board. Mr. Kang holds a MBA in Strategic Wealth Management, the Chartered Wealth Management from AAFM, USA and the Certificate in Law (Estate Planning).
His involvement with APFinSA started from day one of the birth of the association in 1991 and the followings are the records of his involvement:
Member of Task Force at the 1st APLIC Congress, 1991
Hon. Secretary of APFinSA (2001-2003)
Chairman, CEO Panel at 11th APLIC Congress in Macau
Chairman, APFinSA Board of Inquiry (BOI) – 2011-2013
Honorary Secretary of APFinSA (2013-2017)
Vice Chairman of APFinSA (2017-2019)
Honorary Secretary of APFinSA (2019-2021)
Chairman of APFinSA (2021-2025)
Mr. Matthew Kang is currently serving as Immediate Past Chairman for the term 2025/2027 as well as a member of ICSB Board.
ICSB Member
Mr. Teo Kok Chuan
Singapore
Mr. Teo Kok Chuan
Mr Teo Kok Chuan 张国全 is a currently a Director of Financial Services with Great Eastern Life Assurance Co Ltd, Singapore, from which he joined since 1979. With over 40 years of experience in Singapore life insurance, he has agency sales and management experience.
Mr Teo Kok Chuan is very much involved in Great Eastern, with the following credentials:
- Great Eastern Life Honours Club Life Member
- Great Eastern Life Honours Club Double Qualifier (Producer & Manager)
- Many years of Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) Qualifying Member
- Appointed as a Consultant of Insurance and Financial Practitioners
- Association of Taiwan from 2003 – 2006
- Appointed Speaker at 7th and 11th Asia Pacific Life Insurance Congress.
- Founding President of Great Eastern Wan Cheng Hui.
- Founding Chairman of GE Alliance Agency Finergy Connect
With his vast knowledge, Mr Teo Kok Chuan is a qualified lecturer of FChFP and CFP (China). He is a much sought after motivational speaker for both local and overseas insurance associations in the region, like China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand and Malaysia.
He is an active speaker in Taiwan, often invited to speak at mega conferences and congresses. Mr Teo was the appointed speaker at Taichung and Taipei International Life Insurance Congress, LUA (Taiwan) Sales Congress 2004 and Taiwan’s largest press company, China Times International Life Insurance Sales Congress in 2003, 2004 and 2005. He has lectured and provided training sessions at Taiwan Prudential, Cathay Life, Shinkong Life, Nanshan Life, Mass Mutual as well as ING.
Likewise in China, Mr Teo Kok Chuan has given talks at Citic-Prudential of Guangzhou and China Life. He conducted numerous insurance training programmes for Tai Kang Life, Beijing Life Insurance Association and China Finance Management Association.
Closer to home, he was a speaker for many major insurance companies in Malaysia, such as MAA Insurance, Hong Leong Life and Allianz Life. At the same time, he was a speaker in Thailand Prudential Annual Sales Congress 2005.
Mr Teo Kok Chuan is also active in community projects in Singapore, having participated at public seminars, educating and delivering the concept of Basic Financial Planning and Medical Protection Plan to the masses at community centres and Grassroot Club. He was also involved in IFPAS Medishield life project from 2016 -2016, and appointed as the Ambassador of Nee Soon GRC.
He possessed professional qualifications in Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner (FChFP), CFP (China) as well as a Diploma in Life Insurance.
Mr Teo Kok Chuan has served as ICBS Member since 2019. Currently he continues to serve APFinSA as a Member of ICSB for the term 2025/2027.
ICSB Member
Mr. Paul Chan
Singapore
Mr. Paul Chan
Mr Paul Chan is a Director of Financial Services at Great Eastern Life Assurance Co Ltd, Singapore, managing an agency of 30 associates. Mr Paul Chan has been in the financial services industry since the late 1980s and has achieved MDRT qualifications a number of times.
Mr Paul Chan has served in the Insurance Financial Practitioners Association of Singapore (IFPAS) since 1999, first as a sub-committee member, and then as a Vice President, and eventually elected as President of IFPAS from 2004-2005.
He holds the Chartered Life Underwriter CLU professional designation and is a Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner FChFP. He also holds an MBA qualification.
Since 2009, Mr Paul Chan has served as a committee member of the International Certification and Standard Board (ICSB) which is a key standing committee of APFinSA. He was ICSB Chairman from 2013-2019. He teaches extensively in the FChFP (Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner) curriculum and other agency management programs in Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia.
Mr Paul Chan has served as ICBS Member since 2021. Currently he continues to serve in APFinSA as a Member of ICSB for the term 2025/2027.
ICSB Member
Bovonwit Kodcharin
Thailand
Mr. Bovonwit Kodcharin
Executive Director, Sales Manager – Thai Life Insurance Public Company Limited (Since 2019)
Mr. Bovonwit Kodcharin is a respected leader in Thailand’s life insurance and financial advisory industry. Since 2019, he has served as the Executive Director of the Sales Manager at Thai Life Insurance Public Company Limited, one of Thailand’s leading insurance firm.
Educational Background
- Bachelor’s Degree in General Management, Faculty of Management Science, Silpakorn University
- Master of Business Administration (MBA), Stamford International University
- Currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Business and Human Capital Development at North Bangkok University
Professional Qualifications
- Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner (FChFP)
- Chartered Life Practitioner (ChLP)
- Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)
- General Agents and Managers Association (GAMA)
- Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT®)
In addition to his executive role, Mr. Bovornwit serves as a Board Member and Program Director of the FChFP and ChLP certification programs. He is also the Chairperson of the THAIFA BOOSTER CLUB under the Thai Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (THAIFA), concentrate in training and mentoring the next generation of financial advisors and instructors.
As a highly regarded speaker and published author, Mr. Bovornwit is known for his expertise in personal and corporate financial planning. His work spans across public seminars, academic institutions, leading private companies, and the professional community of life insurance agents and financial advisors in Thailand.
Driven by a strong commitment to elevate the industry, Mr. Bovornwit aims to develop life insurance and financial advisory into a recognized and respected profession—both nationally and internationally.
Mr Bovonwit has just started serving as a ICSB member for the term 2025/2027.
