2010 Communiqués de presse

Hanoi - Manulife Vietnam was honored to receive the “Best Service Award” for the insurance category at the 2009 Golden Dragon Awards Ceremony held by the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Investment and Planning, and The Vietnam Economic Times. The award underscores Manulife’s leadership in providing professional and quality customer service.

“We are delighted to be named the Best Service Award winner in the insurance category,” said Carl Gustini, General Director of Manulife Vietnam. “This accolade shows that our commitment and effort to delivering consistent and excellent service is recognized by the public. It is our ongoing passion to provide real value to customers and we are pleased that has earns us this prestigious honor.”

Since opening its doors in Vietnam as the first 100% foreign-owned life insurer on June 12, 1999, Manulife has demonstrated considerable success in growing its business in Vietnam and has become a major industry player here. Manulife Vietnam has been in the top three life insurers in the market for three consecutive years, since 2007, and has successfully established itself as a company of choice in Vietnam’s thriving insurance market. Being known as a product innovator, Manulife has committed to providing world-class financial protection and wealth management products to meet the diversified needs of customers as well as contributing to the development of the life insurance market in Vietnam.

Manulife is one of only two companies to introduce unit-linked products to the market, Maxx Phuc Loc Thinh Vuong, an investment solution with the added bonus of insurance protection. On the fund side, Manulife is one of the three companies in Vietnam that offers mutual funds to local investors. In July 2009, Manulife Vietnam launched Phuc An Binh, a unique medical care solution to meet customers’ increasing needs for better healthcare. 

Manulife also actively expanded its business in sync with market needs, first creating alternative distribution channels such as joint-ventures and partnerships with other financial institutions such as ACB and Techcombank, and through a general agency model in Ban Me Thuot City. In September 2009, Manulife Vietnam pioneered a new micro-insurance product for low income people in rural areas. Manulife Vietnam and the Vietnam’s Women Union signed a long-term strategic partnership agreement to distribute micro-insurance with the aim of helping Vietnam Women’s Union’s low-income members access life and medical insurance coverage at an affordable costs. This micro-insurance program has been piloted in Hai Phong & Tien Giang and the initial response is encouraging with close to 16,000 Women Union members signing up for micro-insurance so far.

“We are committed to staying at the forefront of the market.” added Mr. Gustini. ”This way, we are always able to provide professional and apt solutions to customers for whom we deeply care. Our team of dedicated staff and agents will continue to strive to better serve our customers and help them meet their financial goals of bringing dreams to life.”

The Golden Dragon Awards is an annual recognition to foreign-invested enterprises working toward sustainable development and making effective contributions to the Vietnam economy.   The judging process started with nominations and a thorough selection by a special awards committee including representatives from the Ministry of Planning & Investment, Ministry of Industry & Trade, Vietnam Economic Association, Vietnam Union of Science & Technology Associations and the editorial board of the Vietnam Economic Times. This was followed by public voting, both in the newspaper and online. There were 80 top foreign-invested enterprises in 11 industry categories winning for the 2009 Awards.

About Manulife Vietnam
Manulife Vietnam - the first 100 per cent foreign-owned life insurance company licensed in Vietnam - provides financial services to 300,000 customers through a network of over 6,500 professionally qualified agents. Manulife has been operating in Vietnam since June 1999. On June 14, 2005, Manulife Vietnam Fund Management (MVFM), a wholly owned local subsidiary of Manulife Vietnam, was granted license to operate a fund management and portfolio management services, further expanding Manulife Vietnam’s product offerings for its customers.

Manulife Vietnam remains committed to supporting the communities, in which it conducts business in both educational and charitable activities, donating a total of more than VND 8 billion since 1999.  Some of the organizations and programs to which the Company has donated time and money include: the Vietnam Association for Promoting and Supporting Educational Development, Terry Fox Foundation, Operation Smile, Health Check and Care programs, Saigon Children’s Charity, National Library for the Blind, the annual Manulife Care and Let’s help children go to school program.

About Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 22 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners.  Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$437 billion (US$407 billion) as at September 30, 2009.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

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