Prudential plc has strengthened its India leadership team with the appointment of Amit Dave as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of its health business, alongside Abhishek Saraf as Chief Operating Officer, as the insurer accelerates its ambitions in the country’s fast-evolving healthcare segment.

Dave’s appointment, subject to regulatory approvals, marks a leadership transition at Prudential Health India, with incumbent CEO Amar Joshi stepping down to pursue other opportunities. The move comes at a crucial juncture as the company advances towards securing its operating licence and scaling its market presence.

With over two decades of experience in the insurance sector, Dave brings deep expertise across strategy, distribution, bancassurance and partnerships. He joins from Tata AIA Life Insurance, where he served as President and Chief Distribution Officer, and will report to Naveen Tahilyani, Regional CEO overseeing India and other key emerging markets.

Joshi, who led the business through its formative phase, played a key role in building Prudential Health India from a joint venture into a near-operational entity. His contributions spanned strategy, talent development, product creation and core operational capabilities, laying the groundwork for the company’s next stage of expansion.

Saraf, who takes over as COO, will work closely with Dave and cross-functional teams to drive execution and operational alignment. A veteran within the Prudential ecosystem, Saraf brings over 25 years of experience and most recently served as the Group Chief Actuary. His remit will include overseeing performance discipline and ensuring seamless implementation of business priorities across functions such as finance, risk, compliance and data analytics.

Commenting on the appointments, Tahilyani said the leadership changes would position the company strongly for its next phase of growth. He added that the combined expertise of Dave and Saraf would be critical in securing regulatory clearances and building a differentiated health proposition aligned with Prudential’s global strategy.

The appointments underscore Prudential’s long-term commitment to India, where rising healthcare awareness, increasing insurance penetration and policy support are creating significant growth opportunities. The company aims to leverage its global capabilities to deliver innovative and accessible health solutions tailored to local needs.

With a renewed leadership team in place, Prudential Health India is expected to sharpen its go-to-market strategy and strengthen its operational readiness as it prepares to formally enter one of the world’s most dynamic health insurance markets.