Hong Kong's anti-graft body has charged a former insurance regulator senior executive and her relative over an alleged attempt to pressure an insurance company to hire the latter with a lucrative salary package.

The 61-year-old former executive director of the Insurance Authority, Carol Hui, and her daughter-in-law Chan Tsz-wai, 32, both faced a count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) said on Thursday.

The pair had allegedly conspired, between September 2022 and March 2023, for Hui to use her position as executive director to "coerce or induce" the insurance firm Prudential to offer Chan a job with good pay.

According to the watchdog's probe, Hui had allegedly sent her daughter-in-law's resume to a senior executive of the insurance company.

"When Chan and Prudential were discussing her salary package, Hui made negative comments to Prudential's senior management on its failure to hire the right talent with market salaries," the ICAC said in a statement.

"Hui added that if the issue was not properly addressed, she would exercise [the Insurance Authority's] supervision power to institute a review on Prudential's operation which could cause Prudential millions of dollars."

The body also accused Chan of telling a Prudential employee that she could help the company maintain a good relationship with the insurance regulator, while demanding a 30 percent increase of her salary at the time.

"Prudential subsequently terminated the employment process in view of the potential conflict of interest," the watchdog said.

The pair were released on bail, before appearing at Eastern Magistrates' Courts on Friday.