MetLife appoints global employee benefits head

MetLife, a provider of insurance annuities, employee benefits and asset management, has appointed current executive vice president James Reid as head of its global employee benefits business.

In this role, Reid will be responsible for accelerating the unit's growth by partnering with MetLife's regional offices and expanding relationships with top financial institutions and global employee benefit brokers and consultants. He will also lead select critical growth initiatives for the company.

Reid has over 25 years of experience in health and employee benefits, and profit and loss (P&L) ownership.

He has held numerous leadership roles within MetLife's US group benefits business, most recently spearheading regional and small business solutions.

Prior to MetLife, Reid worked at Aetna for over 20 years, serving in leadership roles in its healthcare and voluntary business groups.

“James brings tremendous industry knowledge, innovative thinking, and a focus on plan execution to GEB,” said Michel Khalaf, president, US business and EMEA at MetLife. “With both healthcare and employee benefits experience, he is well positioned to lead this charge.”

Reid commented: “The power of employee benefits to bring peace of mind and, in many cases, a lifeline to employees all over the world cannot be underestimated. A connected network such as MetLife GEB has the expertise to provide the best solutions for global clients as it applies a dual macro and micro lens to solving challenges. I am proud to have the opportunity to work with this team.”