MetLife Inc, the largest U.S. life insurer, hired Bharat Kannan as head of employee benefits for the Asia region.

Kannan, who will join on March 16, will be based in Tokyo. He will report to president of Asia for MetLife, Christopher Townsend.

Kannan joins from Aon where he spent over 11 years, most recently serving as chief executive of Aon Insurance Brokers Malaysia.