AIA Wins Finance ASIA'S Award for Best IPO and Deal of The Year

Dec. 19, 2010 - PRLog -- Auckland, 15 December 2010, The AIA Group has been awarded the Best IPO and Deal of the Year by leading financial news website and magazine Finance Asia.

In an online article, Finance Asia said, “What impressed us by the AIA IPO was its ability to achieve a slightly higher valuation than Prudential’s revised bid just five months earlier and the fact that it successfully turned its stalled growth in recent years into an intriguing – and sought-after – turnaround story . . . in our mind the best IPO of the year also deserves the accolade as the top transaction in the region.”

Mark Tucker, AIA Group Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said all staff had played a critical role in this and deserve full credit for their professionalism, commitment, energy, dedication and patience.

AIA Group is the largest independent listed pan-Asian life insurance group in the world. The entities for which the rating has been raised are American International Assurance Company Limited (AIA Ltd) and its wholly-owned subsidiary American International Assurance Company (Bermuda) Limited (AIAB).

In November, Standard & Poor’s Rating Services (S&P) has raised its ratings on two of AIA’s operating entities from A+ to AA-, outlook stable, and a month earlier Moody’s Investors Service also affirmed the Aa3 insurance financial strength (IFS) rating on AIAB, and changed its outlook to stable from negative. This reflects AIA Group’s leading positions in a number of life insurance markets across Asia Pacific, as well as its improved operating performance, sound balance sheet, and efficient agency force.

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About AIA New Zealand (http://www.aia.co.nz/en/about/)

AIA New Zealand is the trading name of American International Assurance Company (Bermuda) Limited (AIA) in New Zealand, and a member of the AIA Group.

Since the company arrived in New Zealand in 1981, AIA New Zealand has consistently provided the market with innovative personal and business insurance (http://www.aia.co.nz/en/your-needs/for-business/)  products that suit the kiwi way of life. Today we offer a complete range of risk management products that focus on the needs of our customers.

AIA New Zealand (http://www.aia.co.nz) is based in Auckland with regional offices in Wellington, Hamilton and Christchurch. However, through our insurance consultant network, we reach every corner of the country.

AIA New Zealand is a member of the Investment Savings and Insurance Association (ISI), the Insurance and Savings Ombudsman Scheme (ISO) and the Health Funds Association of New Zealand (HFANZ).

About the AIA Group

The AIA Group Limited (AIA) is the largest, independent listed pan-Asian life insurance group in the world, with an unparalleled footprint spanning 15 markets in Asia Pacific. The Group has total assets of approximately US$90 billion and traces its roots in the region back more than 90 years.

AIA meets the savings and protection needs of individuals and businesses by offering a comprehensive suite of products and services covering life insurance, retirement planning, accident and health insurance, as well as wealth management solutions. Through an extensive network of more than 300,000 agents and over 24,000 employees across Asia Pacific, AIA serves the holders of over 23 million individual policies and over 10 million participating members of group policies.

AIA has branch offices, subsidiaries and affiliates located in jurisdictions across the region including Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Macau and Brunei.

AIA is listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the stock code '1299'.

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AIA New Zealand provides services for Life Insurance, Health Insurance, Income Protection Insurance, Mortgage Insurance and Business Insurance. AIA New Zealand is based in Auckland with regional representation in Wellington, Hamilton and Christchurch.