Mark Norbom, the General Electric executive, is to become head of Prudential's Asian operations, succeeding Mr Tucker who left six months ago.

Mr Norbom, who was born in Washington DC, will on January 1 become chief executive of Prudential Corporate Asia, which operates 23 life and fund management businesses.

He succeeds Mr Tucker, who left Prudential in June after 18 years to seek "further challenges".

Under Mr Tucker, who was paid £1.02 million last year, more than Jonathan Bloomer, the Prudential chief executive, the insurer's Asian unit expanded into 12 countries. In the first half of this year, the Asian division achieved 26 per cent growth in insurance products despite the onset of the Sars epidemic.

Mr Norbom, who was the president and chief executive of GE Japan, said: "I look forward to continuing the growth of what is already an impressive set of businesses."

Mr Bloomer said Mr Norbom, who had worked in Asia for the last 10 years, was "ideally suited" for the post.

Prudential shares stood 0.25p lower at 469p in afternoon trade.

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