Honouring the past, shaping the future

The evolution of our lion

The journey towards GREAT

As Singapore’s trusted insurer, Great Eastern has been at the forefront of Asia’s insurance industry for over a century. From our humble beginnings in 1908 to where we stand today, we have always strived for excellence. The lion logo has stayed true to our spirit and evolved with us over the years.

Making a GREAT first impression

Great Eastern’s origin dates back to 1908. Our founder – Alfred Hewton Fair – a former general insurance agent saw the potential for a local life assurance company tailored around the needs of Malayans, and whose culture the company adopted.

However, the road ahead wasn’t easy. There were already several foreign insurance companies present. The future of a new company, particularly a local one, appeared bleak.

Though this was an obstacle, it didn’t stop us. It inspired us to leap ahead and break new ground. With a vision to become the leading financial service provider in Asia recognised for excellence, we adopted the lion symbol as our logo. This felt like a natural fit, keeping the then Malayan locals in mind.

A symbol for the times

The lion logo represents courage, power, strength and leadership It is synonymous to our core values, and stands for what we believe in – to protect, preserve and grow what matters to our customers.

As Singapore’s oldest and most established life insurance company, we act with confidence and conviction. More importantly, we continue to inspire generations to Reach for Great and become the greatest versions of themselves.

The evolution of GREAT

In 2025, the lion reflects who we are today – a modern, resilient, and future-ready insurer, while staying true to the values of trust and care that built our legacy.