Bupa’s international health insurance business, Bupa Global, is pleased to announce the appointment of Sheldon Kenton to the role of Global Commercial Director.

In this newly created role, Sheldon will report to Robert Lang, Managing Director for Bupa Global, and serve as a member of Bupa Global Executive Team. The role will focus on the growth of Bupa Global’s corporate sales and health benefits business, which provides products and services in over 190 countries, as well as the further development of its institutional distribution partnerships around the world.

Sheldon joins Bupa Global later this year following a long tenure with Cigna Corporation, most recently as Chief Commercial Officer for Cigna Global Health Benefits (CGHB) North America.

Sheldon’s appointment builds on the momentum created by Bupa Global’s significant investment in its international private medical insurance (IPMI) business and commitment to globally-minded and globally-mobile customers. This commitment was demonstrated in 2013 by Bupa’s considerable (49%) investment in a US-based specialist health insurance and services company, and in 2014 when Bupa Global began a strategic global partnership with the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for more than 106 million members. 

This partnership created the largest combined healthcare provider network ever formed in the IPMI market. Sheldon’s appointment complements several recent senior industry hires to Bupa Global that strengthen the commercial and clinical teams. These include: Lorna Friedman from Mercer Health & Benefits; Mary Trometer and Nic Brown from Aetna International; Justin Howcroft from Friends Provident International; and Stephen Killian from United Healthcare Global.

Commenting on this appointment, Robert Lang, Managing Director, Bupa Global, said “We are delighted to have Sheldon join our team later this year. He will be instrumental in ensuring Bupa Global’s corporate and health benefits customers access the full scope of Bupa’s significant global presence in the UK, Australia, Spain, Poland, New Zealand and Chile, as well as Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, India and Thailand.”