Articles by Anshuman Daga

Singapore Exchange Looks to Tap Into SPAC Trend by Relaxing Rules

Singapore Exchange unveiled new rules allowing special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) to list in the city-state, after easing some measures viewed as too strict by participants, as it seeks to tap a global trend in such listings. SGX’s rules, effective …

Allianz, MS&AD, Other Suitors in Race to Buy Aviva’s Asia Units for Up to $2.5B: Sources

German insurer Allianz, Nippon Life and MS&AD Insurance are vying with rivals to buy the Singapore and Vietnam businesses of Britain’s Aviva in a deal likely to be worth up to $2.5 billion, sources said. Canada’s Sun Life Financial and …

Singapore Ride-Hailing Firm Grab Eyes Spin-Off of Financial Services Unit: Sources

Singapore-based ride-hailing company Grab has mandated a few banks to approach potential investors to take minority stakes in its financial services business as it looks to spin off the unit, according to two people familiar with the matter. Grab has …

Malaysia Likely to Review Rules Requiring Cut in Foreign Insurance Ownership: Sources

Malaysia is likely to review a directive to foreign insurers to reduce ownership of their local units by nearly a third as finding domestic buyers for the equity stakes is proving hard, three people familiar with the matter said. The …

Insurance Australia Group Plans to Sell Troubled SE Asian Businesses: Sources

Insurance Australia Group is set to sell its four Southeast Asian businesses in deals that could be valued at about $500 million, under a review of its Asian operations, three people with knowledge of the matter said. IAG, Australia’s biggest …

Malaysia’s Maybank Plans to Spin Off Etiqa Insurance Unit: Sources

Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank), Malaysia’s biggest bank, is preparing to spin off and list its Etiqa insurance arm on the local stock exchange, sources with knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday. Etiqa, which operates in Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines …

China’s Ant Financial Targets at Least $8B in Investor Funding: Sources

China’s Ant Financial Services Group is in talks with investors to boost its fundraising target to at least $8 billion, which could see its valuation jumping to about $150 billion, people with knowledge of the plan said. Singapore state investor …

Citi’s Head of Insurance Investments Named COO of Ping An Fintech Fund: Sources

Citigroup’s Asia head of insurance investment banking Donald Lacey is leaving the bank to become the chief operating officer of Ping An Insurance Group Co of China’s Global Voyager Fund, sources familiar with the situation said. Lacey, who joined Citi …

Mitsui Sumitomo Buys Singapore’s First Capital Insurance from Fairfax for $1.6B

Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company (MSI) is acquiring Singapore’s First Capital Insurance for $1.6 billion from Canada’s Fairfax Financial Holdings, in the biggest takeover by a Japanese insurer in populous Southeast Asia – a key target region for global players. Starved …

Citigroup to Seek Bancassurance Distribution Partners in APAC Region: Source

Citigroup Inc. will seek bids from global insurers keen to sell general insurance products across the U.S. bank’s Asia-Pacific markets, in a deal that could be worth at least $500 million, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. …