Press Release

CII ESTABLISHES FIRST OFFICE IN INDIA

8 March 2007

The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) is to open an office in Mumbai, its first in India, to meet the growing demand for the CII's professional development services to be delivered to offshore customer services facilities.

A new head of business development for India - Sainesh Dar - has been recruited by the CII. He will establish the new office and lead a team to provide CII support to both the offshore centres as well as the growing local Indian market.

CII director of business development Steve Jenkins says, "The desire to drive up professional standards and encourage study for qualifications in India is immense. I had personal experience of this during recent visits to India when the CII received a highly positive reception from senior managers and front line staff.

"Qualifications are viewed as an essential prerequisite to providing a top quality service level and the CII is acknowledged as the ideal provider as we deliver a consistency of knowledge and skills development across the UK and Indian market operations.

"The Indian market is expanding very rapidly with a growing number of global companies establishing a presence. The CII is keen to play its part in ensuring professional standards are central to this expansion and the setting up of our office is an example of our commitment to this. I am very pleased that we have been able to recruit Sainesh Dar, his extensive financial services experience having spent much of his career in senior roles with Tata AIG and Hollard Insurance Co. Ltd, will be invaluable."

Lord Sheikh the chairman & chief executive of insurance brokers Camberford Law oversaw part of a recent UK induction visit for Sainesh Dar. Lord Sheikh, who has just returned from a visit to India as part of an All Party delegation, comments: "I very much support the CII's establishment of this office. It is an important step and can only benefit the insurance industry in what is a growing and important part of the Indian economy. By helping increase and encourage educational standards, it is not just the insurance industry that will benefit but the end customer too. Having met with Sainesh Dar, I'm sure he will do a good job in the new venture."

The CII's Mumbai office will be based in the business district in Nariman Point and will be fully operational within the next two months.