Manulife gets DBS help in push to tap savings-rich region

Singapore

CANADIAN insurer Manulife Financial Corporation's push for a bigger slice of the life insurance pie in this lucrative savings-rich region, particularly Singapore, will receive a boost with the help of ally DBS Bank.

Singapore is expected to "quickly" become Manulife's third largest business in the region, behind Hong Kong and Japan, now that the insurer has strengthened its multi-distribution strategy through an exclusive 15-year partnership with the local lender that started on Jan 1.