Takayuki Murai

President and Chief Executive Officer

President and Chief Executive Officer Takayuki "Taka" Murai has worked for Nippon Life Group for more than 25 years. His varied domestic and international positions include corporate finance, real estate investment, and overseas business planning and operations.

Taka joined Nippon Life Insurance Company in 1987. His previous positions with Nippon Life Benefits include Vice President of Sales for the Japan Desk (Central Region) from 2000 to 2003, and Vice President of Corporate Planning at the Home Office in New York from 2003 to 2007. He most recently served as Deputy Chief Representative in the New York office of Nippon Life Insurance Company.

Taka -- who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Kobe University -- resides  in New York City with his wife and daughter.

Francine Young

Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

As Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Francine "Fran" Young is responsible for the oversight of the U.S. insurance operations for Nippon Life Benefits.

Named to her current position in 2011, Fran previously served as Senior Vice President, Chief Business Development Officer. She joined Nippon Life Benefits in 2007 with more than 25 years of industry experience, and has held previous leadership positions with Guardian Life Insurance, NYLCare, (a New York Life subsidiary) and New England Life.

Fran holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Bloomsburg University. She resides in New Jersey with her husband and daughter and currently serves on the board of Catherine McAuley High School in Brooklyn, NY.

Tess Leopold

Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Tess Leopold oversees the legal, compliance and corporate governance functions for Nippon Life Benefits, a U.S. mutual company affiliate of one of the world's largest life insurers, Nippon Life Insurance Company of Japan.

Tess joined the company in 2011, after serving in legal and compliance positions with Guardian Life Insurance Company and AIG.  In the course of her legal career, she has also worked as in-house litigation specialist and corporate generalist at Siemens Corporation, in private practice and as a government prosecutor assigned to the King's County District Attorney homicide unit.  She is a member of the Bar in New York and New Jersey.

Tess holds a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University and a bachelor of liberal arts degree from Sarah Lawrence College.  She attended The Brearley School in New York City.

She is married, has two children and lives with her family in Rumson, NJ.

Bruce Walker

Chief Financial Officer

Bruce Walker holds the position of Senior Vice president and Chief Financial Officer for Nippon Life Benefits. He is responsible for the company's finance and treasury functions.

Named to his current position in 2011, Bruce has more than 25 years of finance experience. Prior to joining Nippon Life Benefits, he worked for Guardian Life Insurance Company as Chief Accountant, Group Insurance. Before that, he was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Swiss Re Life and Health Canada and served as Head of Financial Services at Swiss Re America Holding Corporation.  Earlier in his career, Bruce worked in the Financial Institution Practice of KPMG in Canada and Australia.

Bruce is a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Public Accountant. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Brock University in Ontario, Canada, and lives in Ridgefield, CT with his wife and three children.

Joe McLaughlin

Vice President and Chief Business Development Officer

As Vice President and Chief Business Development Officer, Joe is responsible for the oversight of new business sales, service and product development for Nippon Life Benefits.

Named to his current position in August 2011, Joe previously served as 2nd Vice President in charge of Nippon's Managing General Agent Distribution Channel. He joined Nippon Life Benefits in October 2007 with more than 20 years of industry experience, and has held previous leadership positions with John Alden Life Insurance Company and Assurant Health.

Joe holds a Bachelors of Business Communications Degree from Ohio University. He resides with his wife and two daughters in Larchmont, New York.