2010 Communiqués de presse

Ho Chi Minh City- Manulife Vietnam held a grand opening today for its general agency office in  Tam ky city, Quang Nam province. To mark the occasion, the company granted 30 scholarships worth 15 million dong to underprivileged students.

Since opening its door as the first 100% foreign-owned life insurer on June 12, 1999, Manulife Vietnam has successfully established itself as a company of choice in Vietnam’s thriving insurance market. With a view to expanding the market and growing the customer base in Tam ky city, the central city of Quang Nam province, the event demonstrates Manulife’s commitment to development in this underserved market and to Tam ky customers’ futures.

“As a strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking company, Manulife is committed to providing the highest-quality insurance and wealth management products and services as well as sustainable value to our customers  to help them secure their future and realize their dreams, “ said Carl Gustini, CEO& General Director of Manulife Vietnam, at the opening ceremony today.

“To Manulife, being a good corporate citizen is a part of our corporate culture. Manulife prides itself on being a company people can rely on, for both aiding those in need in our communities and for delivering on our promises. Over eleven years of operations, we are proud to have undertaken a range of corporate social responsibility initiatives to benefit the local communities, especially in the education sector. Today’s scholarship grant has once again demonstrated our long-term commitment to supporting the development of education in Vietnam as we believe education is the foundation of a bright future,” he added.

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 8,000 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 9 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 operating in 22 countries and territories worldwide. For more than 120 years, clients have looked to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions.   Our international network of employees, agents and distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management products and services to millions of clients. We provide asset management services to institutional customers worldwide as well as reinsurance solutions, specializing in life and property and casualty retrocession. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$446 billion (US$440 billion) as at March 31, 2010. The Company operates as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. 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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