Latest Asia Headlines
All the headlines from our Asia Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Singapore Tightens Rules for Sharing Economy that Could Disrupt Asia Ambitions
Feb 27 2017 // Singapore, a keen early adopter of the sharing economy, has fired a warning shot across the bow of Airbnb and Uber with tighter rules that could shake up their business models and growth ambitions in Asia. The rules, some...
Uber Suspends Service in Taiwan After Authorities Raise Fines
Feb 2 2017 // Uber Technologies Inc. said it will suspend its service in Taiwan from Feb. 10, firing the latest salvo in the ride-hailing service company’s long-running dispute with the island’s authorities. Uber’s...
JLT Re Appoints Pang as Philippines Managing Director
Feb 1 2017 // JLT Re, the global provider of reinsurance broking and consultancy, announced the appointment of William Pang as managing director for JLT Re Philippines, subject to regulatory approval. Pang will be relocating to Manila...
Trump Orders U.S. Exit from Pacific Trade Pact and Reset on NAFTA
Jan 23 2017 // President Donald Trump abruptly ended the decades-old U.S. tilt toward free trade by signing an executive order to withdraw from an Asia-Pacific accord that was never ratified and promising to renegotiate the North...
Allianz & Standard Chartered Form Bancassurance Partnership in Asia
Jan 19 2017 // Standard Chartered Bank and Allianz have formed a 15-year bancassurance partnership for the distribution of Allianz’s general insurance products, including travel, personal accident, fire and motor insurance...
BHSI Wins License to Write Reinsurance in Malaysia
Jan 17 2017 // Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has won a license to provide reinsurance services in Malaysia, the billionaire investor’s group said, as it expands operations in Asia. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance...
Supply Chain Risks Underinsured in APAC: Zurich Insurance/BCI Survey
Jan 13 2017 // Six out of 10 organizations in Asia Pacific experienced at least one supply chain disruption in the past year, with one in four incidents costing more than US$1 million, according to a survey conducted by the Business...
XL Catlin Invests $4M in Insurtech Microinsurance Startup, Stonestep
Dec 19 2016 // XL Catlin’s venture fund, XL Innovate, committed $4 million in first-round financing to Stonestep, a property/casualty insurtech startup looking to streamline how microinsurance is sold in emerging markets. The...
Guy Carpenter Appoints Nash as President of New International Division
Dec 13 2016 // Guy Carpenter & Co. announced the appointment of James Nash to the newly created role of president, International, subject to regulatory approval. Nash, who currently runs Guy Carpenter’s Asia Pacific operations,...
Credit Guarantee & Investment Facility Signs Inaugural Treaty Led by Munich Re
Dec 7 2016 // The Credit Guarantee and Investment Facility (CGIF)* announced it has executed its inaugural reinsurance treaty, with a panel of market leading private reinsurers, led by the specialist credit reinsurance team of Munich...
Uber Drivers in Taiwan Threatened with Fines of $780,000 in Draft Rules
Dec 6 2016 // Investors and companies are getting a preview of how the Taiwan government’s plan to become “Asia’s Silicon Valley” might fare. Uber Technologies Inc., one of Silicon Valley’s most disruptive...
Emerging Markets to Drive Insurance Sector Growth in 2017: Swiss Re
Nov 28 2016 // The global economy is expected to grow moderately over the next two years, supporting continued growth in insurance premium volumes, according to a Swiss Re report. Growth in global non-life premiums is forecast to fall...
Lloyd’s Names Swiss Re’s Kelly as Singapore Country Manager
Nov 17 2016 // Lloyd’s has appointed Angela Kelly as Lloyd’s country manager, Singapore, and CEO of Lloyd’s of London (Asia) Pte. Ltd. Kelly joins Lloyd’s from Swiss Re where she was chief executive officer of...
Allied World APAC Appoints 2 Casualty Specialists from AIG
Nov 16 2016 // Allied World Assurance Company Holdings announced two appointments to its General Casualty Division in Asia: Daphne Boon to the position of vice president, head of General Casualty (Asia), and Christie Huang Shuying to...
RFIB Names Leith-Smith, Penfold & Hawkins, Forming SE Asia Marine Cargo Team
Nov 8 2016 // RFIB Group Ltd., the London-based Lloyd’s insurance and reinsurance broker, announced the appointments of Paul Leith-Smith, Giles Penfold and Will Hawkins who will form a new Southeast Asia marine cargo team. The...
Climate Change Is Major Concern for 78% of SMEs: Zurich Report
Nov 4 2016 // Climate change is a major concern for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to Zurich Insurance Group’s fourth annual global SME survey. Almost four-fifths (78 percent) of SMEs surveyed expected risks...
Alibaba’s Finance Unit, Ant, to Focus on Asia Expansion – Before Going Global
Nov 1 2016 // Ant Financial Services Group, the world’s biggest financial technology company, plans to focus its expansion plans in Asia before looking to go more global, a senior official said on Tuesday. Ant, Alibaba Group...
JLT Re Taps Willis Re’s Punch as MD, APAC, for Regional Clients & Retrocession
Oct 27 2016 // JLT Re, the London-based reinsurance broker and consultant, has appointed Stephen Punch as managing director, Asia Pacific, for Regional Clients and Retrocession. Punch is expected to join JLT Re in early 2017 after he has...
BHSI Licensed to Provide Re/Insurance in Macau; Key Positions Announced
Oct 6 2016 // Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Co. (BHSI) has received a license to provide insurance and reinsurance in Macau and filled key positions in its newly established Macau office. “It is a very interesting time in...
Supreme Court to Hear ‘Disparaging’ Trademark Case Similar to NFL’s Redskins’
Sep 29 2016 // The U.S. Supreme Court accepted a new case with implications for the Washington Redskins’ name controversy, agreeing to decide whether the federal government can withhold legal protections for trademarks it concludes...
