Connect with us

Media OutReach

AIA Launches Wealth Generation – Introducing market-first legacy planning options and a short 4-year projected breakeven period Empowering HNW customers to accumulate wealth and achieve seamless legacy transfer

Published

on

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 25 June 2025 – AIA Hong Kong announced the launch of Wealth Generation (“the Plan”), a bespoke life insurance plan designed exclusively for high-net-worth (HNW) individuals. This Plan enables customers to capitalise on wealth creation opportunities in today’s dynamic market while fostering long-term prosperity through strategic legacy planning. The Plan features multiple market-first^ legacy planning options, a rare-in-market* Flexi Withdrawal Option and value-added service, delivering a competitive projected total internal rate of return (IRR) #. With projected breakeven year as short as four years#, this comprehensive solution addresses the dual priorities of HNW customers: wealth accumulation and legacy management.

Ms Alice Liang, Chief Proposition & Healthcare Officer of AIA Hong Kong & Macau, said: “As a global hub for asset and wealth management, Hong Kong has long been a magnet for high-net-worth individuals and families from around the world. Their needs for life insurance products are constantly evolving. They not only seek to navigate complex investment landscape but also place great emphasis on managing their wealth with control, precision, flexibility, and resilience, ensuring seamless wealth transfer.”

She added: “AIA remains unwavering in our customer-centric approach, consistently delivering innovative products and thoughtful services that go beyond expectations and delight our customers. Wealth Generation exemplifies this commitment, with its market-first legacy planning options, rare Flexi Withdrawal Option and value-added services. This empowers our customers with greater control and flexibility over their wealth accumulation and legacy planning journey, embodying AIA’s commitment to helping them achieve Healthier, Longer, Better Lives.”

Key features and value-added services of the Wealth Generation:

Empowering Wealth Growth

Short projected total breakeven year and competitive projected total IRR

  • Projected total breakeven year as short as four years#, with a 10-year projected total IRR of up to 5.05%#, helping customers seize opportunities for steady wealth growth.
  • Guaranteed cash value and non-guaranteed Terminal Dividend1, along with the Terminal Dividend Lock-in Option2, enabling customers to secure potential returns while pursuing long-term financial growth.

Rare-in-market* Flexi Withdrawal Option3

  • Policyholders can set up flexible withdrawal instructions starting from the end of the 5th policy year, where they may automatically and regularly withdraw policy values during their specified period for payment to the designated payment recipient, catering to their evolving needs at different life stages.

Seamless Legacy Planning

Legacy Planning Options and Value-added Services

  • Market-first^ Future Guard Option: Through the value-added service, Transitional Owner Arrangement4, policyholder can designate a family member as the contingent owner of the policy and another aged 18 or above family member as the transitional owner of the policy. The transitional owner will oversee the policy with limited administrative rights until the designated contingent owner takes over ownership of the policy upon reaching the date or age as specified by the policyholder.
  • The Future Guard Option also allows the transitional owner to split the policy into two separate policies and to designate another family member as the new contingent owner and insured of the split policy. Ownership of the split policy is transferred when the new contingent owner reaches the specified date or age, ensuring seamless and harmonious wealth succession across generations.

Safeguarding Loved Ones

  • Market-first^ Beneficiary Flexi Option: Under specified conditions5, beneficiaries are empowered to flexibly choose their settlement options to receive their share of the unpaid death benefit and accidental death benefit. This ensures a personalised and holistic approach to legacy planning.
  • Market-first^ Health Impairment Option6: In the event that the policyholder suffers from a mental issue or becomes unconscious for a certain period due to a specified illness, the designated recipient7 can receive benefit payment or policy ownership according to the policyholder’s instructions. This feature safeguards the financial well-being of loved ones.

Recognising the exacting standards of HNW customers for health and wealth solutions, AIA established AIA Club Alta in 2023 to deliver curated privileges8 across three pillars: health and wellness, wealth management and exquisite lifestyle experiences. These exclusive offerings have empowered customers to strike an optimal balance between health and wealth, enabling them to enjoy a more prosperous and fulfilling life. AIA Club Alta also extends its bespoke wealth management privileges9 to include advisory services on tax planning, trusts, legal and family office consultations. When combined with Wealth Generation, these services provide customers with an effective solution, ensuring the mastery of wealth amplification, seamless wealth succession and peace of mind for generations to come.

All information above is for reference only and does not constitute any offer and/or insurance product recommendation. The product information in this material does not contain the full terms of the product, for the details of the product features, terms and conditions, exclusions and key product risks, please refer to the product brochure and policy contract of relevant products or visit the AIA Hong Kong’s website.

Remarks

^ Three market-first options:
  • Future Guard Option: As of 7 May 2025, compared with similar services offered by Hong Kong major insurance companies
  • Beneficiary Flexi Option: With the Beneficiary Flexi Option, the policy owner allows the beneficiary to choose to receive the death benefit payment in accordance with the beneficiary’s selected settlement option when the beneficiary has attained the designated age chosen by the policy owner or when the beneficiary is diagnosed with a specified illness under Beneficiary Flexi Option. This feature is first-in-market when compared with the savings insurance products provided by Hong Kong major insurance companies, pioneered by AIA with the FlexiAchiever Savings Plan on 8 January 2025.
  • Health Impairment Option: This option allows the policy owner to designate up to 2 different designated recipients and elect for both benefit payment and transfer of ownership at the same time. This feature is first-in-market when compared with the savings insurance products provided by Hong Kong major insurance companies as of 7 May 2025.
* Compared with the savings insurance products provided by Hong Kong major insurance companies as of 7 May 2025.
# “Projected total breakeven year” is the policy year at the end of which the projected total surrender value is greater than or equal to the single premium paid for the first time. The projected Total IRR is neither indicative of future performance nor guaranteed. The projected total IRR based on the assumption that no cash withdrawals or policy loans are taken throughout the term of the policy, none of Terminal Dividend Lock-in Option, Flexi Withdrawal Option, Policy Split Option and Health Impairment Incapacity Option is exercised and that all premiums are paid in full when due.
  1. The non-guaranteed Terminal Dividend may be declared to the policy at least once per policy year starting from the end of the 3rd policy year. However, AIA Hong Kong may also at its sole discretion declare the Terminal Dividend more frequently than once per policy year, such as on a monthly basis.
  2. This option is available once per policy year starting from the end of the 15th policy year, and application for such transfer must be made within 30 days after the end of a policy year.
  3. Subject to relevant conditions and withdrawal risks.
  4. Transitional Owner Arrangement is only available to designated policies which meet our eligibility requirements. Transitional Owner Arrangement is a value-added service and not a product feature, therefore it does not form part of the policy contract of Wealth Generation. Application is subject to our approval at our discretion. We reserve the right to withdraw the Transitional Owner Arrangement or change its terms and conditions or any related requirements at any time at our sole and absolute discretion. Future Guard Option is one of the service features under the Transitional Owner Arrangement. For details of Transitional Owner Arrangement and Future Guard Option (including but not limited to eligibility, risk and limitation), please refer to the value-added service leaflet of Transitional Owner Arrangement.
  5. If the policyholder has chosen the Death Benefit Settlement Option, he/she may also choose the Beneficiary Flexi Option. Upon the beneficiary attaining the designated age chosen by the policyholder or being diagnosed with a specified illness including cancer, stroke, heart attack, terminal illness and kidney failure, such beneficiary can receive his/her share of the unpaid death benefit and accidental death benefit (if any) according to his/her selected settlement option.
  6. Starting from the end of the 3rd policy year, if the policyholder is also the insured, he/she may elect for benefit payment and/or ownership transfer to designated recipient(s) under the Health Impairment Option. Subject to relevant conditions and withdrawal risk.
  7. The policyholder may designate up to 2 family members aged 18 or above as designated recipients and the applicable designated percentage of policy value for benefit payment and/or ownership transfer. If the policyholder suffers from a mental issue or becomes unconscious for a certain period due to a specified illness including Apallic Syndrome and Coma, the designated recipient may in accordance with the instructions receive a lump sum benefit payment and/or become the new policy owner of the policy.
  8. The membership and privileges of AIA Club Alta are subject to terms and conditions. For details, please refer to AIA Club Alta website (aia.com.hk/en/aia-alta).
  9. The wealth management privileges of AIA Club Alta are provided by third-party service providers and partners. AIA Hong Kong and its intermediaries do not provide any opinion or advice to customers regarding the relevant services.

Hashtag: #AIA #友邦

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About AIA Hong Kong & Macau

AIA Group Limited established its operations in Hong Kong in 1931. To date, AIA Hong Kong and AIA Macau have over 18,000 financial planners1, as well as an extensive network of independent financial advisors, brokerage and bancassurance partners. We serve over 3.6 million customers2, offering them a wide selection of professional services and products ranging from individual life, group life, accident, medical and health, pension, personal lines insurance to investment-linked assurance schemes with numerous investment options. We are also dedicated to providing superb product solutions to meet the financial needs of high-net-worth customers.

1 as of 31 March 2025

2 Including AIA Hong Kong and AIA Macau’s individual life, group insurance and pension customers (as of 31 March 2025)

Media OutReach

BRICS Competition Authorities Establish Task Force to Study Global Grain Trade

Published

on

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 July 2026 – Competition authorities from BRICS countries have established a task force to conduct a joint sector inquiry into the global grain trade, marking a new step in cooperation on competition policy across international agricultural markets.

The decision was announced during the discussion “Competition Development in Global Grain Trade: Joint Efforts of BRICS Countries”, organized by the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre on the sidelines of the 23rd Session of the UNCTAD Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Competition Law and Policy in Geneva.

The event included a closed meeting of BRICS competition authorities and a public panel featuring researchers, academics and representatives of international organizations.

Discussions focused on competition in global grain markets, the growing influence of financialization and digitalization across agricultural value chains, and policy tools to improve market transparency. Participants also reviewed the findings of a joint report prepared by the BRICS Competition Centre and UNCTAD (link: https://www.bricscompetition.org/ru/grainreport) , first presented at the 9th BRICS International Competition Conference in Cape Town in 2025.

A coordinated market study

The central outcome of the meeting was the establishment of a BRICS task force that will coordinate a joint sector inquiry into global grain trade within the framework of the BRICS Working Group on Food Markets.

The task force will be co-chaired by Diogo Thomson, President of Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE), and Mahmoud Momtaz, Chairperson of the Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA).

Thomson welcomed the initiative and proposed making competition in global grain trade a key topic at the next BRICS International Competition Conference, scheduled to take place in Brazil in 2027.

“Brazil is the only jurisdiction that has launched an investigation into digital grain trading platforms such as Covantis. I therefore strongly welcome this sector inquiry, which will help us better understand the impact of digitalization across grain supply chains and the risks it may create for competition. I also support using the BRICS Competition Centre as the coordination platform for this work,” he said.

Momtaz said one of the main conclusions of the BRICS-UNCTAD report was the significant role speculative activity plays in global grain markets.

“One of the key findings of the report presented by the BRICS Competition Centre is the extent to which speculative factors influence global grain trade. The most effective response is greater market transparency. We should not accept a situation where farmers receive only a small share of the value they create while consumers in Egypt pay excessively high prices for bread. Where does this margin accumulate, and who ultimately benefits from it? These are the questions our sector inquiry should answer,” he said.

He also proposed that the task force develop a common AI-powered price monitoring tool covering BRICS grain markets.

“Such a tool would provide the information needed for market analysis and become an important complement to the joint sector inquiry,” Momtaz added.

From analysis to policy recommendations

Hardin Ratshisusu, Deputy Commissioner of the Competition Commission of South Africa, said the study should contribute to the implementation of the BRICS Grain Exchange initiative endorsed by BRICS leaders in the Kazan Declaration (2024) and the Rio de Janeiro Declaration (2025).

“The proposal to establish a BRICS Grain Exchange should become one of the key recommendations of the sector inquiry as an innovative mechanism for restoring competition in global grain trade. Our objective is not merely to identify market problems but to develop practical recommendations that can ultimately be submitted to the leaders of our countries,” he said.

Alexey Ivanov, Director of the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre, said competition authorities should play a central role in designing the institutional framework of the future exchange.

“The BRICS Grain Exchange should not become another formal institution. It must serve as a practical mechanism for improving competition and market transparency. Competition authorities are uniquely positioned to identify the institutional features that will allow the exchange to achieve these objectives,” he said.

Growing international role

Frédéric Jenny, Chairmanof the OECD Competition Committee, said the initiative demonstrated the growing international role of BRICS competition authorities.

“This project illustrates how BRICS competition authorities are becoming drivers of the global competition agenda. In the past, they largely followed the lead of developed jurisdictions. That is no longer the case. There are very few examples worldwide of such close cooperation between competition authorities. This applies not only to joint market studies, but also to enforcement cooperation and competition advocacy. Rather than acting individually, you have found both the mechanisms and the political will to work together,” Jenny said.

The task force will now begin developing the methodology and work plan for the joint inquiry. Its findings are expected to provide policy recommendations aimed at strengthening competition, improving transparency in global grain trade, and supporting future BRICS initiatives in agricultural markets.

Hashtag: #BRICSCompetition

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Continue Reading

Media OutReach

VinFast VF 8: Blending Business and Family Leisure in an Electric SUV

Published

on

Today’s premium SUVs are expected to do more than ever before. For EVs, that expectation increasingly extends beyond the drive itself to the ownership experience that comes with it.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 July 2026 – There’s a reason premium SUVs remain the vehicle of choice across much of the Middle East. People here spend a lot of time in their cars, commuting between cities, shuttling between meetings, while thinking nothing of driving hundreds of kilometers over a long weekend.

A vehicle is where conference calls are taken between appointments, where children fall asleep in the back seat on the drive home, and where many of the ordinary moments of daily life quietly unfold. That is also why buyers in the region tend to value both performance and convenience, rather than simply paying for horsepower or a premium badge.

Electric vehicles have made those decisions even more nuanced. Not long ago, conversations about EVs were largely centered on battery size, driving range and charging times. Those questions still matter, but increasingly, buyers also demand a clear picture of their post-delivery ownership experience, specifically requiring convenient charging, straightforward servicing, and long-term support.

Viewed through that lens, perhaps the most interesting thing about the VinFast VF 8 isn’t any single specification. Rather, it is the way the company has approached the ownership experience around it.

Designed by the legendary Italian design house Pininfarina, the all-electric D-segment SUV combines premium styling with everyday practicality. With up to 493 km of NEDC driving range and up to 402 horsepower through its dual-motor AWD system, the VF 8 is equally at home navigating city traffic or tackling longer journeys across the region. Its spacious cabin, Level 2 driver assistance technologies and 15.6-inch infotainment display are designed with comfort in mind, whether the journey lasts twenty minutes or two hours.

In the UAE, buyers also benefit from a 10-year vehicle warranty, a 10-year unlimited-mileage battery warranty, 24/7 roadside assistance and five years of free maintenance up to 100,000 km. These benefits strike at the heart of the EV ownership experience, especially for first-time buyers. Running low on charge before an important meeting or worrying about finding support on a long drive are precisely the kinds of concerns that can make consumers hesitate about making the switch.

Globally, VinFast has been investing heavily in the ecosystem surrounding its vehicles. Earlier this year, the company signed agreements with 29 international aftersales partners as part of its plan to expand its global service network to more than 1,100 workshops across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia during 2026. The initiative includes globally standardized technician training alongside software updates, battery inspections and technical support throughout the ownership journey.

In the UAE, VinFast works with Al Tayer Motors to provide local aftersales support while continuing to strengthen its regional service network through experienced local partners. Earlier this year, the company also signed an MoU with PlusX Electric, a DEWA-approved charging provider, to complement its charging ecosystem with portable charging pods, on-demand mobile charging and emergency roadside charging services.

In many ways, the Middle East’s EV market is still writing its next chapter. Buyers have more choices than ever before, but expectations are rising just as quickly. Developing a competitive electric SUV addresses only part of the equation; ensuring a seamless ownership experience may ultimately prove equally decisive.

Hashtag: #VinFast

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Continue Reading

Media OutReach

Alpro Launches Subsidised RM1 Ferritin Checks to Help Women Understand, Prepare and Live Well Through the Transition to Menopause

Published

on

Before Menopause, Many Women Are Already Struggling in Silence

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 July 2026 – Perimenopause is a natural stage in a woman’s life, yet many women enter this transition without fully understanding what is happening to their bodies or knowing where to seek support.

Group photo with representatives, guests and attendees at the Me. NO PAUSE Official Launching Ceremony.

While menopause is becoming more widely discussed, the years leading up to it often receive far less attention. During perimenopause, women may experience changes in their menstrual cycle, energy levels, concentration, sleep, mood and overall well-being. These changes may begin several years before menopause and can gradually affect a woman’s daily life, work and family responsibilities.

Recognising the need for earlier awareness and support, Alpro Pharmacy has launched Me. NO PAUSE, a women’s health initiative designed to help women better understand, prepare for and live well through the transition to menopause.
As part of the initiative, Alpro is offering eligible women a subsidised ferritin check for only RM1, compared with the normal price of RM35. Alpro is subsidising RM34 of the screening cost to make iron-store assessment more affordable and accessible within the community.
Women aged 35 and above, particularly those experiencing persistent tiredness, brain fog, hair loss, or brittle nails, are encouraged to undergo a ferritin check and speak with a healthcare professional about their results.

The fatigue women are expected to live with

Women in their late thirties, forties, and early fifties often carry multiple responsibilities at home, at work, and within their communities. Persistent exhaustion or difficulty concentrating may therefore be dismissed as stress, lack of sleep, ageing or simply part of having a busy life.

However, these symptoms deserve attention rather than automatic acceptance.
Ferritin is a protein that stores iron in the body. A ferritin check helps assess a person’s iron stores and may identify low iron levels before the condition progresses to iron-deficiency anaemia.
Symptoms such as tiredness and brain fog are non-specific and may have many possible causes. Nevertheless, checking ferritin levels provides women with an opportunity to explore a frequently overlooked possibility and receive appropriate professional guidance.
Malaysia’s Ministry of Health has reported that approximately one in three Malaysian women of reproductive age, between 15 and 49 years old, experiences anaemia. Despite the scale of the issue, ferritin testing is not commonly discussed as part of routine health screening among women.
Through Me. NO PAUSE, Alpro aims to change that conversation.

“Women are often expected to keep functioning even when they feel persistently exhausted, mentally foggy or simply unlike themselves. These experiences are easily dismissed as stress, age or the result of having too many responsibilities,” said Ph. Ng Yi Ling, Professional Care & Development and Project Lead of Me. No Pause from Alpro Pharmacy.
“We want to move the conversation earlier, before women reach menopause and before exhaustion becomes something they believe they simply have to tolerate. The RM1 price is not merely a promotion; it represents Alpro’s commitment to removing cost as the first barrier to screening.”
“A ferritin check can help a woman understand whether low iron stores may be part of the picture, speak to a pharmacist and take the next appropriate step. Her tiredness deserves to be heard, her concerns deserve to be taken seriously, and her health should never come last.”
Emerging research has also drawn attention to the possible relationship between iron status and cognitive performance during the menopausal transition.
A study published in the scientific journal Nutrients in 2025 examined non-anaemic women going through the menopausal transition. The researchers observed that better iron status was associated with stronger cognitive performance, including greater accuracy, better discrimination and faster response times.
The researchers emphasised that the findings were preliminary and that larger, longer-term studies are required. Nevertheless, the research highlights the importance of better understanding iron status in women who may experience brain fog during perimenopause, even when they have not been diagnosed with anaemia.
Supporting this mission, Powerlife, a leading health supplement provider in Malaysia, has stepped forward as the main partner of Me. No Pause to improve access to ferritin screening for women nationwide, with 300 Ferritin analysers from Global Science using handheld fluorescence technology to provide results within minutes, available at all Alpro Pharmacy.
The launch of Me. NO PAUSE was also attended by representatives from the Malaysian Pharmacists Society Special Interest Group on Women and Child Health and from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), bringing together community pharmacy practice and academic research to support women’s health.
“Community pharmacists play an important role in making women’s health screening more accessible, approachable and connected to timely action,” said Ms Harpreet Kaur, representing the Malaysian Pharmacists Society Special Interest Group on Women and Child Health.
“Through this initiative, we hope to empower pharmacists to identify women who may be at risk of iron deficiency, provide timely counselling and connect them to appropriate care when further medical assessment is required.”

Representing the Faculty of Pharmacy, UiTM, Associate Professor Dr Mahmathi Karuppannan said:

“Research helps us better understand the burden, level of awareness and health impact of iron deficiency among women in Malaysia. Through this collaboration, UiTM hopes to generate meaningful local insights that can guide public education, early risk detection and the development of future women’s health interventions.”
By connecting accessible screening with pharmacist counselling and appropriate referral pathways, Alpro aims to translate awareness into meaningful, responsible health action.
Women aged 35 and above who experience persistent tiredness, brain fog, hair loss or brittle nails are encouraged to visit their nearest Alpro Pharmacy to learn more about ferritin checks and speak with an Alpro pharmacist.
Through Me. NO PAUSE, Alpro hopes to help more women feel heard, informed and supported before, during and beyond the transition to menopause.

Hashtag: #Alpro

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Alpro Group

Founded in 2002, Alpro Group’s ecosystem has grown to include Alpro Pharmacy, Apotek Alpro, Alpro スギ (Sugi) Pharmacy, Alpro Physio, Alpro Clinic, Alpro Baby, Alpro OptiSaver, Alpro Audiology, Alpro Health, and Alpro Foundation. Supported by a team of more than 1,000 healthcare professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, nutritionists, dietitians, physiotherapists, optometrist and many others, Alpro serves over 5 million families in Malaysia and Indonesia through its extensive network of 500 physical outlets.

Alpro Pharmacy is the first and only community pharmacy in the region to offer product liability insurance of MYR 1 million in Malaysia and IDR 3 billion in Indonesia, ensuring the supply of genuine medications and enhancing consumer trust.

With the vision of a healthy and vibrant world, Alpro Group aims to become the No. 1 prescription pharmacy chain in Southeast Asia.

Continue Reading