Aflac’s Matthew Owenby on Hiring for Life, Leadership Legacy, and Prioritizing Customers in Crisis

by Dr. Jessica Kriegel | Sep 12, 2025

This week, Jessica sat down with Matthew Owenby, Chief Strategy Officer at Aflac, an American insurance company and the largest provider of supplemental insurance in the United States.

In this conversation, Matthew shares his insights on leadership, family, and the mission of Aflac. He emphasizes the importance of having a purpose beyond oneself, the commitment to customer care, and the philosophy of hiring for life.

Matthew discusses the challenges faced during the COVID pandemic and how Aflac navigated these challenges while maintaining a focus on empathy and support for employees and customers alike. He also addresses misconceptions about Aflac and shares his personal aspirations in leadership.

About Matthew Owenby

Matthew Owenby joined Aflac in 2012 as vice president of HR Business Partners, bringing with him more than a decade of human resources leadership experience at Bank of America and General Electric. He assumed his current position in May 2015, where he leads the effort to apply Aflac’s global initiatives while providing strategic direction for the Human Resources and Leadership, Learning and Development teams.

In 2016, he was ranked No. 1 in the Top Corporate Leader Award – Over 35 category, a Gold winner in the HR Executive of the Year category and a Silver Stevie honoree in the HR Executive of the Year category. Matthew earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgia State University and a Master of Business Administration from Mercer University. He is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewowenby/