Latest Asia Headlines

All the headlines from our Asia Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Aon Risk Services Names Malik as New CEO for Asia

Dec 10 2009 // Aon Risk Services (ARS), the risk management and insurance brokerage business of Aon Corp., announced the appointment of Sandeep Malik as chief executive officer of Asia Aon Risk Services, effective February 1, 2010. He...

Allianz Forecasts Emerging Asian Markets to Lead Global Growth in 2010

Dec 10 2009 // An anlaysis from Allianz Insurance Management Asia Pacific concludes that regional GDP is expected to grow by 6.7 percent in 2010, with Asia contributing “almost 39 percent to next year’s global economic...

ACE Names Schrader Executive VP, General Counsel – Overseas Operations

Nov 24 2009 // The ACE Group announced the promotion of Howard S. Schrader to Executive Vice President and General Counsel of ACE’s Overseas General operations, responsible for the delivery of all legal services to ACE’s P/C...

Ratings Recap: Tokio Millennium Re, Nissan Global, Asia Capital, ACRe

Nov 11 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of’ A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit rating of “aa-” of Bermuda-based Tokio Millennium Re Ltd. (TMR), both with stable outlooks. Best noted...

France’s AXA Eyes Asia Growth with Takeover Bid

Nov 9 2009 // AXA Asia Pacific rejected a $10.3 billion bid from parent AXA SA and Australian rival AMP Ltd on Monday, an initial hurdle for the French insurer’s bold ambitions to expand in Asia. AXA SA, Europe’s...

Lloyd’s Notes Success of Regional Catastrophe Pools, CCRIF

Oct 26 2009 // An article on the Lloyd’s of London web site (www.lloyds.com) discusses the success of an “innovative solution” which can make funding available to governments in the aftermath of a natural...

Is Economic Terrorism a Threat to Southeast Asia?

Sep 24 2009 // If the suicide bombers who targeted two luxury hotels in Jakarta this year hoped their attacks would strike a significant long-term blow against Indonesia’s economy, the reaction of financial markets suggests they...

Ratings Recap: Grupo Nacional, BEST RE, Triple-S, Arab Re, Int’l. Energy, Asian Re

Sep 17 2009 // A. M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to negative from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating of “a” of Mexico’s Grupo Nacional...

Best Revises Outlook on SCOR to Positive; Affirms ‘A-‘ Ratings

Sep 4 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to positive from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a-” of French reinsurer SCOR...

Shankar Joins Aon’s Asia Pacific Consulting as Chief Commercial Officer

Sep 3 2009 // Aon Consulting, the global human capital consulting organization of Aon Corporation, announced that 20-year industry veteran Anand Shankar has joined the firm in the newly created position of Chief Commercial Officer, Asia...

Marsh Teams with Munich Re for Asian Solar Power Coverage

Sep 2 2009 // Marsh and Munich Re have joined forces to launch a new product guarantee insurance solution designed for the expanding solar panel manufacturing sector in Asia, which Marsh described as the “the first of its kind in...

Zurich to Sponsor Inaugural 2009 Asian Amateur Golf Championship

Aug 20 2009 // Zurich Financial Services Group has signed up as one of five exclusive partners of the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship, scheduled to be held at the Mission Hills Golf Club’s World Cup Course in Shenzhen, China,...

Two Typhoons Slam into Eastern Asia; Powerful Earthquake Strikes Japan

Aug 10 2009 // Typhoon Morakot wreaked havoc in Taiwan over the weekend, making landfall late on Friday in Taiwan’s Hualien County with sustained winds of 148 km/h (92 mph). “As of Friday, Morakot had generated only 100 mm (4...

UK’s Miller Launches Facultative Reinsurance Capability in Singapore

Jul 22 2009 // The UK-based broker Miller Insurance Services Limited announced that it will now be offering facultative reinsurance capability out of its Singapore office following the additions of Nigel Cross and Adam Fuller. Cross...

Asia-Pacific Nations Decry First-world Protectionist Policies

Jul 21 2009 // Some Asia-Pacific nations criticized U.S. and other developed world protectionism on Tuesday at a meeting aimed at spurring a global trade pact and revitalizing the global economy. Thai Commerce Minister Pornthiva Nakasai,...

Willis Increases Equity Stake to 49% in Malaysian Business

Jul 16 2009 // In a move, which it described as designed to “strengthen its standing as one of the leading global brokers in Asia,” Willis Group Holdings announced that it has “increased its shareholding in its...

El Nino Weather Pattern Increasing Says Australian Weather Bureau

Jul 8 2009 // The development of an El Nino weather pattern is increasing and at this stage may be a medium-strength event, but it could take months for it to be officially declared, Australia’s weather bureau said. “We are...

S&P Says AIA, AIAB Ratings ‘Not Affected’ by AIG Spinoff Plans

May 20 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said that its ratings on Hong Kong-based American International Assurance Co. Ltd. (AIA; A+/Developing/–) and American International Assurance Co. (Bermuda) Ltd. (AIAB;...

AIG Launches IPO Process for Asian ‘Crown Jewel’

May 18 2009 // American International Group said it would accelerate plans to separate its Asian subsidiary through an initial public offering as the bailed-out U.S. insurer seeks to raise cash and list the unit as soon as possible. The...

Time Seen Tight for ING Asset Sales

May 18 2009 // Dutch financial group ING made clear this week it was not in any particular rush to complete its planned €8 billion [$10.8 billion] of asset sales — but to hear analysts and bankers tell it, Chief Executive Jan...