Standard Life acquires Aegon UK for £2bn

Standard Life has acquired Aegon UK for £2bn.

The transaction will be funded through a combination of debt, cash and the issue of ordinary shares in Standard Life (representing approximately 15.3% of the group’s enlarged share capital) to Aegon on completion

Insurance Asset Management Awards 2026 open for entries

Recognising outstanding achievement in the UK, European and global insurance investment spaces among insurance companies, providers and individuals, the tenth annual Insurance Asset Management Awards are now open for entries!

US institutional investors look beyond returns when evaluating asset managers

Seventy-two per cent of US institutional investors identify the consistency of performance relative to expectations and the experience, talent, chemistry, and stability of investment professionals as the most important characteristics of top asset management firms, according to research published by Cerulli

Chinese life insurers see large investment gains

China’s largest life insurers recorded large gains in total return on investments in 2025, according to analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence, following an equity investment directive by the Government early in the year

Total insurance revenue for Australia’s non-life segment hits US$54.1bn

Australia’s non-life insurance industry has been resilient against an increasingly complex and interconnected risk landscape, with total insurance revenue for the non-life market reaching approximately AU$77.7bn (US$54.1bn) for the fiscal year ended 30 June 2025

PRA publishes 2026/27 Business Plan

The PRA has published its 2026/27 Business Plan, setting out its strategic priorities and strategy to advance its key objectives

Utmost Life and Pensions completes its first external pension scheme buyout

Utmost Life and Pensions has completed its first external pension scheme buyout

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Niall O’Sullivan appointed Mercer’s global CIO

Mercer has announced that Niall O’Sullivan will become global chief investment officer (CIO), effective 1 May 2026

Howden to acquire Hymans Robertson’s insurance and financial services consulting team

Howden has agreed to acquire the insurance and financial services consulting team (IFS team) of Hymans Robertson LLP, strengthening its specialist insurance actuarial and longevity consulting capabilities

EIOPA consults on treatment of proportional reinsurance treaties with features jeopardising risk transfer effectiveness

EIOPA has launched a consultation on the treatment of proportional reinsurance treaties with features that may jeopardise the balance (commensurateness) between the solvency capital requirement (SCR) relief triggered by the treaty and the effective transfer of risk they provide

Zurich successfully places US$500m of dated subordinated debt

Zurich has successfully placed US$500m of dated subordinated notes

The Expert View

Following Aon’s Insurance Investment Consultancy of the Year award win at the latest Insurance Asset Management Awards, Editor, Adam Cadle, gathers the latest thoughts from partners, Geoff Bauer and Lin Qu, about the insurance investment space

Sustainability stays strong in emerging debt markets

In an otherwise ugly environment for bond issuers and investors, the future for emerging market debt looks unquestionably green

Beyond US exceptionalism

The case for diversifying globally and across strategies with alternative credit

Bond investors need to understand the volatility cycle

Fixed income markets have become increasingly volatile, a trend that looks set to continue. Investors need to adapt themselves

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Setting a New Standard for Benchmarking Private Infrastructure Debt

As private infrastructure debt evolves, confidence comes from evidence. infraMetrics® uses real asset-level data to deliver credit insights and market-based curves where comparables are limited. A benchmark that guides insurers and investors through the uncertainties of today’s macro environment.

Navigating credit markets

Adam Cadle speaks to Jon Mawby, Head of Investment Grade Credit at Pictet Asset Management, about navigating the credit markets given yields have fallen to low levels over the past decades, whilst interest rate duration risk has continued to rise.

Opportunities in alternative fixed income

Adam Cadle speaks to Frank Meijer, Head of Alternative Fixed Income at Aegon Asset Management, about the key opportunities within the alternative fixed income space and how insurers can access these.

Why are government bonds so important when thinking about climate change?

Adam Cadle speaks to Dr Laura Ryan, Head of Research, Ardea Investment Management, about the importance of government bonds and climate change, and how the scope of impact and potential for change couldn't be greater

Expert Views

How can we rethink insurance investment to solve the complexity challenge?

The model of insurance investing has been upended since the financial crisis by a confluence of challenges. New assets, strategies and partnerships have the potential to help insurers cut through this complexity and deliver sustainable solutions

Expert Views

New Rules, New opportunities: A return to European ABS for insurers?

At the height of the global financial crisis, insurance company investors withdrew from the securitised debt market and sold down their asset-backed securities (ABS) holdings. But a decade on, new regulation offers the potential for securitised debt to re-emerge as an attractive investment opportunity for Solvency II-regulated insurers, believes James King, Fund Manager at M&G Investments

Schroders Global Investor Insights Survey