Latest Asia Headlines
All the headlines from our Asia Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Bid Deadline Nears for ING’s Asia Insurance Business
Jul 16 2012 // A wide range of suitors, from the son of Asia’s richest man and a former rugby player in New Zealand to more established players including AIA Group and Manulife Financial Corp, are expected to submit binding bids on...
South Korea Considering Resuming Iran Oil Imports: Gov’t. Sources
Jul 13 2012 // South Korea will soon decide on whether to resume Iranian crude imports after Tehran offered to ship and insure the oil to get around the impact of EU sanctions, two Korean government sources said on Friday. The EU oil...
Blackstone Backs ex-AIA Chief in ING Asia Sale Race: Source
Jul 12 2012 // Global private equity fund Blackstone Group LP is backing Mark Wilson, the former chief of AIA Group Ltd, in the bidding for ING Groep NV’s Asia insurance unit, a source directly familiar with the matter said. The...
Kerr to Head BMS Growth in Australia, Asia-Pacific
Jul 10 2012 // Global broker BMS Group announced that it has “achieved another major strategic goal with the appointment of respected Australia-based facultative broker, Glenn Kerr.” Kerr will join the BMS’ wholesale...
Guy Carpenter Report Focuses on Asia-Pacific 2011 ‘Climate Issues’
Jul 9 2012 // The Guy Carpenter Asia-Pacific Climate Impact Centre (GCACIC), a joint initiative of Guy Carpenter and City University of Hong Kong, has released its third annual report, which presents the findings of the 27 research...
Willis’ Faber Global Division Establishes Singapore Office
Jul 5 2012 // Faber Global, the facultative and wholesale reinsurance arm of Willis Group Holdings, announced that it has increased its global reach by establishing a presence in Singapore to cover facultative reinsurance for Singapore...
So. Korea to Halt Iran Oil Imports as EU Insurance Ban Bites
Jun 26 2012 // South Korea became the first major Asian consumer of Iranian crude to announce a halt to imports after the government said they would be suspended from July 1 due to a European Union ban on insuring tankers carrying...
Mitchell to Head Willis’ FINEX Asia-Pacific Unit in Expanding Market
Jun 14 2012 // “As companies continue to expand within the Asia Pacific region and beyond its borders, they are becoming increasingly exposed to risks such as Directors and Officer’s (D&O), Cyber and Professional...
Iran Tanker Firm Says it Insured Ships Despite Sanctions
Jun 13 2012 // Iran’s biggest tanker operator, NITC, has $1 billion in ship insurance cover to keep its fleet on the water and serve clients in Asia despite Western sanctions on the Islamic Republic’s oil trade, a senior NITC...
U.S. to Issue More Waivers on Iran Sanctions Next Week
Jun 8 2012 // The United States will announce a new list of countries that will receive exceptions to financial sanctions on oil trade with Iran as soon as early next week, a government official said on Thursday. Not all of Iran’s...
Global Downturn Puts Investors, Companies in Retreat
Jun 5 2012 // Gripped by fears that Europe’s debt crisis is driving the world economy into a ditch, companies are delaying plans to raise capital and canceling deals, while investors are taking refuge in cash or any other place...
Chinese Drivers Pose Fresh Risks for Foreign Insurers
Jun 5 2012 // “People like us who buy Ferraris don’t care too much about insurance because we buy cars for speeding,” said Li, in his twenties and the son of a Pearl River Delta factory owner, as he took delivery of a...
MetLife to Shift U.S. Business, Target Global Growth
May 24 2012 // MetLife Inc. will change `its product mix in the United States and push harder for growth in international markets to substantially boost returns by 2016, the largest U.S. life insurer said on Wednesday. MetLife also said...
Best Opens Office in Dubai International Financial Center
May 21 2012 // A.M. Best Co. announced the formal opening of its new office in the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC) in Dubai, UAE. The office is located in Tower 2, Currency House, DIFC, and “will operate as A.M. Best...
Former Dewey & LeBoeuf Lawyers Join DLA Piper Hong Kong Office
May 18 2012 // The DLA Piper law firm announced that a group of lawyers led by partners Joyce Chan and Heng Loong Cheong will join its Hong Kong office from Dewey & LeBoeuf. The move signals yet another step in the meltdown of that...
Miller Hires Gao Zu Biao as North Asia Reinsurance Specialist
May 3 2012 // UK-based broker Miller announced that it has enhanced its North Asia reinsurance broking capabilities by appointing Gao Zu Biao, who will be based in its Hong Kong office. Jennifer Lin, Head of Miller Hong Kong said the...
SCOR Posts 11% Increases in Renewal Pricing
May 1 2012 // SCOR Global P&C (SGPC) recorded 11 percent growth at constant exchange rates from the €328 million [$435 million] in premiums that were up for renewal on April first, “with no increase in exposure to natural...
Willis Names Lieu, Zhou to Strengthen Asia Client Team
Apr 26 2012 // Willis Group Holdings announced two key appointments to its Global Solutions (International) team, increasing its multinational client focus in Asia. Karen Lieu recently joined as Managing Director, Asia Global Solutions...
Catlin Receives Approval to Establish Representative Office in Beijing
Apr 19 2012 // The Catlin Group Limited announced that it has been granted approval by the China Insurance Regulatory Commission [CIRC] to open and operate a wholly owned representative office in Beijing. The office will be headed by...
Willis Re Names Beedle to Head Asian Operations
Apr 18 2012 // Willis Re, the reinsurance arm of Willis Group Holdings has announced the appointment of James Beedle as CEO of its Asian operations. He has been a member of the Willis Re team since 1998 and has worked with numerous...
