Manulife Financial Corp. (TSX:MFC) Thursday announced the appointment of Steve Roder as incoming senior executive vice president and CFO.

Roder’s responsibilities will include management and oversight of the company’s global financial affairs, including actuarial and capital management, treasury, controllership, taxation, financial regulation, investor relations and reinsurance activities.

Roder will report directly to Donald Guloien, Manulife president and CEO. His appointment is expected to become effective in the beginning of June, subject to immigration approvals.

“Steve’s extensive experience in Asia, his hands-on experience in our core business, his impeccable career in public accounting and finance, and his well-known capability as a leader, communicator and straight-shooter were exactly the qualities we were looking for,” Guloien said in a release.

“Steve significantly adds to our body of Asian experience here in the Toronto head office, brings great financial acumen, and adds significant strength to our overall management team,” Guloien added.

From 2007 to 2010, Roder was CFO for AIA Group Ltd. During his tenure with AIA, he gained valuable experience developing positive relationships with regulators, investors, rating-agencies and other key stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions. He also modernized the finance function by driving finance transformation, achieving major improvements in process and control, and building the tax, investor relations and business analysis functions.

Prior to AIA, Roder headed KPMG’s financial services practice in Asia. During his 16 years as a partner at KPMG, he worked in London, Hong Kong and Japan advising CEOs, CFOs, and boards of directors of some of the world’s largest financial institutions. In addition to English, Mr. Roder also speaks Japanese to an advanced level.

Roder has a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Southampton, U.K., is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (FCA) and a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CPA). He is former chairman of the Expert Panel on Insurance of the Hong Kong Institute of CPAs, former President of the Royal Society of St. George, Tokyo, and former chairman of the British School in Tokyo.

Roder will succeed Michael Bell who will be returning to Philadelphia to rejoin his family. Bell’s departure was announced in February 2012.