Latest Asia Headlines

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

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...

ING Puts $775 Million Thailand Bank Stake up for Sale – Sources

Mar 23 2012 // ING Groep NV has put its roughly $775 million stake in Thailand’s TMB Bank Pcl on the block as the bailed-out Dutch financial services group pushes ahead with Asian divestments, sources familiar with the matter told...

Celent Survey Forecasts Insurers to Spend $140.6 Billion on Technology in 2012

Mar 21 2012 // Global information technology spending by insurance companies is expected to reach $140.6 billion in 2012, an increase of 6.3 percent over 2011, according to a new report from Celent, part of the Oliver Wyman (MMC) group....

AIG, Atradius Execs Join Micro-insurance Investor LeapFrog for Africa, Asia

Mar 15 2012 // LeapFrog Investments, an investment fund focused on insurance and financial services companies, announced two senior appointments as it expands its investment portfolio in Asia and Africa.David Steel, previously Managing...

Willis Chief on Non-Traditional Risks Facing Airlines; Asia-Pacific Growth

Mar 8 2012 // Joe Plumeri, Willis Group Holdings Chairman and CEO, told attendees at the Willis Asia Pacific Aviation Insurance Conference in Hong Kong that air travel in Asia Pacific is set to significantly surpass that of North...

AIG to Sell $6 Billion Worth of AIA shares to Repay U.S. Bail-out

Mar 5 2012 // American International Group is selling part of its stake in AIA Group to raise about $6 billion to help the U.S. insurer repay a huge federal government bail-out.AIG is looking to place some 1.7 billion AIA shares in a...

Asia Insurer AIA Boosted by Surge in New Business

Feb 24 2012 // AIA Group Ltd, Asia’s No.3 insurer, reported a 40 percent rise in value of new business for its fiscal full year and growth in Thailand despite last year’s devastating floods, surprising analysts and sending...

Swiss Re Reports $2.6 Billion 2011 Net Income Despite Nat Cats

Feb 23 2012 // Swiss Re reported net income of $2.6 billion for the full-year 2011, despite what it described as “an exceptional natural catastrophe burden” – a strong performance compared to the $863 million reported for...

ING to Sell 3 Asia Joint Ventures Separately from Other Assets

Feb 23 2012 // ING Groep NV is planning to sell its three Asian insurance joint ventures separately from its other Asia assets so that the overall sale is not held up by negotiations with partners, two sources with direct knowledge of...

South Korea’s KB Financial Eyes ING Insurance

Feb 22 2012 // South Korea’s KB Financial Group is interested in buying ING Groep NV’s South Korean insurance operations, chairman Euh Yoon-dae said.The parent of the country’s top mortgage lender which has an existing...