From Plaid Shirts to Suits: Gao Xulai’s Transformation into a Health & Wealth Planner (HWP)

In the broader health and wellness sector, are there careers with promising growth prospects? While tracking industry evolution, VCBeat has also noted the emergence of a new profession: the Health and Wealth Planner (HWP). This role offers annual compensation that can reach RMB 1 million or even higher. What exactly is the development potential of this enviable career? We interviewed several HWPs to seek answers. This article is the second installment in our interview series.

As spring blossoms, Gao Xulai, a Health and Wealth Planner (HWP), has once again become busy, just as he was throughout 2022. For him, this level of busyness has become routine. His social media posts also document his daily hustle—studying topics related to financial intelligence, legal expertise, tax planning, business acumen, and refined lifestyle; visiting clients; and refining proposals...

Unlike traditional insurance agents, Gao Xulai, as a Health and Wealth Planner (HWP), no longer relies on familial ties, friendships, or social favors to drive sales. Instead, he leverages professional expertise to deeply understand client needs, providing personalized health and wealth management solutions that genuinely benefit clients while earning their trust.

2021 marked the beginning of Gao Xulai’s career at Taikang. In that year, he officially became a member of the emerging profession of Health and Wealth Planner (HWP). This role presented numerous challenges compared to his previous professional experience.

Back in 2009, fresh off his master’s degree in Software Engineering from Beijing Jiaotong University, he joined the Information Technology Department of Western Securities, where he stayed for five years. During this period, he underwent a remarkable transformation—from a novice to the lead responsible for operating the nationwide deployment of electronic information systems. In 2012, he reached his career highlight: while building China’s crude oil futures settlement system, he became a pioneer in China’s energy economy, participating in and witnessing the birth of this landmark system.

However, for someone who thrives on challenges, the monotony of day-to-day routine became tedious and exhausting. Unwilling to settle for the status quo, he returned to Xi’an. This time, he was no longer “the programmer in a plaid shirt,” but a securities account manager dressed in a suit—he officially joined Guosheng Securities in 2014. The transition in professional identity meant overcoming numerous obstacles, yet he persevered. Between 2014 and 2017, he endured countless all-nighters and achieved remarkable results. By 2017, he had accumulated RMB 230 million in client assets. While helping clients secure substantial returns, he also gained recognition for his capabilities and was promoted to Director of the Marketing Department.

In 2018, sudden shifts in both the domestic and international environment sent shockwaves through the capital markets. That year’s stock market plunge left him bewildered, often spending entire nights pondering: Where lay the future direction? Was such a volatile market truly what clients desired? Was it truly what he himself sought?

It was not until 2019, by chance, that the issue of population aging came into his view. In the past, he would have simply ignored it; however, witnessing the gradual aging of his elderly family members made him realize that, in the context of an aging society, how to better enjoy life in old age during the era of longevity has become an unavoidable question.

He also recognized that the population with similar needs would number in the hundreds of millions. It was under these circumstances that he began to continuously review information on elderly care and deepen his understanding of the industry. At that time, he believed that insurance was a reasonable and effective solution. However, given the vast number of insurance providers, he attended nearly every morning training session offered by relevant companies in his quest to find one that truly aligned with his goals. Ultimately, his attention turned to Taikang and its Health and Wealth Planners (HWP).

“Since joining as the first HWP partner in the Xi’an region in September 2021, my deepening understanding of this role has led me to realize that ‘HWP is no longer just a job to me; rather, it represents a career endeavor,’ said Gao Xulai.”

Historically, a frequent criticism of insurance product sales has been the practice of inducing impulsive purchases by “peddling fear and anxiety.” Many insurance agents rely on emotional appeals in their sales tactics—after becoming licensed agents, they begin pitching insurance products to parents, relatives, and friends, often without considering whether these individuals actually need insurance or what specific types of coverage would be appropriate for them.

For Gao Xulai, the very existence of HWP is, to some extent, aimed at changing this phenomenon.

On the one hand, insurance companies have historically relied on a “mass recruitment” strategy, leading to high turnover among insurance agents. They failed to recognize the need to enhance agents’ professional service capabilities and expertise, as well as the importance of dedicating more effort to identifying and cultivating potential clients.

To build a high-caliber talent pool and deliver more professional services to clients, Taikang has spared no effort in providing extensive training for its Health and Wealth Planners (HWPs). In fact, the professional positioning of HWPs is designed to encompass the roles of insurance consultant, general practitioner, and wealth expert. Consequently, the training curriculum is highly diversified. Through a two-year customized program at the GPA General Practitioner Academy, HWPs enhance their medical thinking and knowledge, evolving into “general practitioners” with industry insights who can serve clients effectively. Meanwhile, the ETA Elite Wealth Academy further strengthens HWPs’ financial expertise through courses covering five key competencies: financial intelligence, legal acumen, tax proficiency, business savvy, and refined etiquette. Moreover, Taikang offers overseas training opportunities to broaden HWPs’ horizons and expand their professional networks. Through such specialized training, HWPs are better equipped to provide highly professional services to high-net-worth clients.

On the other hand, unlike traditional insurance agents who often prey on clients’ anxieties, Health and Wealth Planners (HWPs) are more focused on genuinely helping customers address the myriad health and financial challenges they face in an era of increased longevity. The solution, clearly, is not as simple as selling a single insurance product. As Gao Xulai puts it, the approach involves “using professional wealth management tools to review a client’s lifetime financial cash flow, leveraging Excel spreadsheets and pivot tables, and developing at least five different product combinations to identify the option that maximizes the client’s benefits. Finally, we present the proposal in a PowerPoint format to facilitate client understanding and build trust through professionalism.”

The ability to provide clients with integrated health and wealth planning is, in fact, underpinned by Taikang’s own ecosystem advantages in the “Health + Wealth” domain. To address health concerns, Taikang leverages its diverse medical insurance products, along with its owned chain of rehabilitation hospitals, dental care group, international medical centers, and domestic and international medical cooperation networks. By combining commercial insurance with medical services, Taikang enables more effective health management and delivers comprehensive health solutions for patients. Meanwhile, Taikang’s financial instruments, such as life insurance, enhance its capacity to provide wealth management services, helping clients preserve and even grow their assets.

“Taikang’s strategic positioning and vision for the HWP profession are at least eight years ahead of its industry peers,” said Gao Xulai with pride. As Xi’an’s first HWP partner, he currently leads a 13-member team that has sold 15 “Happy Promise” policies, generating nearly RMB 26 million in gross written premiums.

Gao Xulai (third from left) and his team members at the Xi’an HWP Annual Gala

In The 100-Year Life: Working and Living in the Age of Longevity, the two authors noted that “in the era of Charles Dickens, innovation focused on reducing child mortality; in the era of Ian Fleming, it centered on addressing diseases affecting middle-aged adults; today, innovation is directed toward combating age-related diseases.” This observation underscores that “when science, knowledge, and substantial funding are mobilized to overcome a particular challenge, significant progress can be achieved.” The ultimate outcome has been an extension of human healthspan. The authors advise against merely setting “a healthy 100 years” as a goal, urging instead that individuals treat living to 100 as the lower bound of their life expectancy.

Given such life expectancies, efficiently creating and utilizing wealth while maintaining personal health has become a fundamental need. As the “100-Year Life” becomes a reality, “without solid financial support, you cannot devote time to key matters beyond finances.” The growing demands for both wealth management and health will further drive the need for professionals in the Health and Wealth Planner (HWP) role.

The book states, “Family, friendship, mental health, and well-being are all key components of a 100-year life.”

“The existence of the HWP position undoubtedly facilitates seniors in better experiencing this ‘100-Year Life’ while attaining wealth and health,” added Gao Xulai.