Yoshihiro Kawai

Chairman, OECD Insurance and Private Pensions Committee
Chairman, Southeast Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility (SEADRIF)
Chairman, Global Asia Insurance Partnership (GAIP)

Professor Yoshihiro Kawai is an internationally recognized authority on insurance regulation, financial stability, and disaster risk financing. He currently serves as Chairman of the OECD Insurance and Private Pensions Committee, Chairman of the Southeast Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility (SEADRIF), and Chairman of the Global Asia Insurance Partnership (GAIP) — platforms shaping the global agenda on financial resilience and sustainable protection systems.

He also serves as Advisor to the Commissioner of Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) and Member of the International Advisory Council of the China National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA), bridging dialogue across Asia’s key regulatory centers. Professor Kawai is also a Professor at the University of Tokyo, contributing to the next generation of public policy and financial leaders.

A driving force behind the global effort to close the “protection gap” for natural disasters, health, and longevity, Professor Kawai has long championed the integration of insurance, finance, and public policy to strengthen resilience against systemic shocks.

From 1998 to 2017, he played a pivotal role at the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS), serving as Secretary General for 15 years. During this period, he led the development of international insurance standards and represented the insurance sector on the Financial Stability Board (formerly the Financial Stability Forum) — directly contributing to post-crisis global financial reforms.

Professor Kawai earned his Ph.D. in Insurance from City University, London, holds an MBA from INSEAD, France, and a B.A. in Education and Sociology from the University of Tokyo.

Beyond his professional work, he is an avid tennis player and marathon runner.