“Our ambition is to establish a strong, lasting presence in the Middle East”

After two years in Dubai, Richard Poinson is now taking the lead across the Middle East region. As APRIL expands its operations into Abu Dhabi and enters the Qatari market, he reflects on the Group’s initial developments in the region and shares his ambitions for the future.

Looking back, how would you assess APRIL’s first few years in Dubai?

Dubai has given us a clear opportunity to demonstrate the region’s potential for APRIL International. We have built a business that quickly gained traction in the market and laid the foundations for our wider expansion across the Middle East.

Much of this success also comes down to the way we work. Rather than simply applying an international model to a local market, we bring our expertise and unique operating model to the table, working closely with partners who have an in-depth understanding of their local environment. Together, we develop solutions that combine our respective strengths. It is a particularly rewarding approach, built on complementary expertise.

The expansion of our partnership with Hayah into Abu Dhabi and our entry into Qatar alongside SEIB now allow us to accelerate our growth across the region.

What makes the international health insurance market in the Middle East unique?

The region is home to a highly international population, with diverse mobility patterns and high expectations when it comes to health coverage and services. From expatriates and families to entrepreneurs and employees of multinational companies, needs vary considerably and call for solutions that can adapt to different circumstances.

This is precisely where our model comes into its own. Beyond health insurance coverage, we bring our expertise in International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI), our ability to support policyholders throughout their healthcare journey, and services designed to make their everyday lives easier. This international expertise, combined with our local partners’ in-depth market knowledge, gives us a real competitive advantage in the region.

How do you see the region developing in the current geopolitical climate?

We must, of course, take a clear-eyed view of the situation. The Middle East is going through a complex geopolitical period, which requires us to remain vigilant and agile. However, this does not diminish the underlying trends we have observed since entering the region: strong international mobility, highly open economies and significant demand for health protection solutions among both individuals and businesses.

Our experience in Dubai reinforces our determination to continue expanding, taking a gradual approach grounded in a thorough understanding of each market. We now have an opportunity to build a stronger regional presence while remaining true to what made our initial steps successful: close relationships, pragmatism and the quality of our local partnerships.