Latest Asia Headlines

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

China Life Interested in Acquring AIG Asia Assets

Nov 24 2008 // China Life Insurance Co, the world’s biggest life insurer by market value, is interested in buying Asian assets of American International Group, a senior China Life manager briefed on the situation said on...

Somali Strategy Could Spur Asian Pirate Attacks

Nov 19 2008 // In high seas and heavy rain, the supertanker Kasagisan was steaming through the Malacca Strait in February when it was suddenly surrounded by six small boats. The crew of the vessel, heading from Saudi Arabia to Japan with...

Zurich Expands Riddell’s Role to Asia-Pacific, Middle East

Nov 18 2008 // Zurich Financial Services Group announced that, effective January 1, 2009, Geoff Riddell, the current CEO of Global Corporate, will assume additional responsibilities overseeing the Group’s operations in the...

Ex-CEO Greenberg Sees Value in AIG Asian Operations

Nov 13 2008 // Maurice “Hank” Greenberg, former CEO of American International Group Inc., said he would consider buying AIG’s Asian life insurance operations if the firm were to put this flagship business on the...

Prudential Eyeing AIG Life Insurance Assets Beyond Asia, Says CEO

Oct 24 2008 // British life insurer Prudential is considering bidding for more than just the Asian operations of American International Group , its chief executive told the Financial Times on Friday. Prudential, the UK’s...

EC’s Barroso Says Crisis Needs Heightened Coordination

Oct 23 2008 // The current financial crisis will require unprecedented levels of global coordination to resolve it because no country is immune to its effects, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on Thursday. Speaking...

India’s Tata Sons Eyes Stake in AIG Asia Unit, Sources Say

Oct 17 2008 // India’s Tata Sons has been in talks to buy a stake in AIA, a major Asian unit of American International Group, sources close to the matter said. The U.S. insurance giant has been seeking to sell assets after nearly...

Seattle To Provide Asian Communities With Fraud Prevention Tools

Oct 6 2008 // Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna and five interpreters are planning to help educate Seattle’s Asian communities about fraud prevention. McKenna’s office, the Asian Pacific American Resource Network...

Lawmakers to Tackle Wall Street Bailout Plan Again Today

Sep 26 2008 // U.S. congressional leaders will try again on Friday to save a $700 billion Wall Street rescue plan after talks broke down in acrimony against the backdrop of the nation’s biggest-ever bank failure. As negotiations...

Endurance Management Postings Expand International Operations

Sep 9 2008 // Bermuda-based Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd. announced several new leadership appointments in its international reinsurance operation servicing non-US clients. Laurent Beauregard has been appointed Senior Account...

Jeanbart Named Marsh CFO-Asia

Aug 22 2008 // Marsh announced the appointment of Maurice Jeanbart as Chief Financial Officer for Asia, a new role for the region. He will be based in Singapore and report dually to Alan Cheah, CEO Asia and Robert Pietrucha,...

International Chamber of Commerce is Pessimistic on Global Economy

Aug 21 2008 // The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) reported from its Paris office that its “ICC/Ifo global climate index in July fell for the fourth consecutive quarter in a row since sentiment became downbeat last summer,...

People

Aug 21 2008 // W.R. Berkley Corp. named William M. Rohde Jr. president of Acadia Insurance Co., succeeding Bill Thornton, who now is chairman of Berkley Regional Specialty Insurance Co. Walter E. Stradley remains president of Berkley...

Ratings Round Up Mitsui Sumitomo: Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong

Jun 30 2008 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has raised its counterparty credit rating and insurer financial strength rating on Taiwan-based Mingtai Fire & Marine Insurance Co. Ltd. to ‘AA-‘ from...

Reagan Joins Aon Construction Group, Focusing on Europe, Asia

Jun 30 2008 // Aon Corp. reports that Mark Reagan, former chairman of the Willis Construction practice, has joined Aon Construction Services Group as managing director. Reagan will be responsible for supporting the international practice...

Foreign Insurers Look at Potential Acquisitions in a Weakened U.S. and E.U.

Jun 16 2008 // Asian Insurers May Buy in U.S., E.U.; Bermuda Beefs Up Regulators; Zurich Favored for Acquisition Asian insurers may go on a buying spree. A number of companies, particularly China’s major players, are likely to...

Asian Insurers Expected to Seize on Credit Crunch as Opening to Buy in U.S. and Europe

Jun 3 2008 // Asian insurers, particularly China’s major players, are likely seize the credit crunch as an opportunity to snap up assets in Europe and the United States, senior insurance figures said on Tuesday. “Asian...

Chubb Establishes $1 Million Fund for Asia Disaster Relief

May 22 2008 // The Chubb Corp. said it has established a $1 million fund for disaster relief efforts related to the Myanmar cyclone and China earthquake. Chubb said it would contribute $500,000 directly to the American Red Cross for...

Catlin Reorganizes Asia-Pacific Management Team

May 20 2008 // The Bermuda-based Catlin Group Limited has announced the following reorganization in the leadership of its Asia-Pacific operations: — With effect from May 1, Mark Newman joined Catlin as CEO of the Asia-Pacific...

Strong to Direct Jardine Lloyd Thompson Asia Pacific Risk Team

May 15 2008 // Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT) has announced the appointment of Matthew Strong as Director, Capital Risks, Asia, which, JLT said reinforces its “long-standing commitment to the Asian market and underlines the...