Allianz included in Interbrand Best Global Brands list for second consecutive year

Sydney, 26 September

Allianz has been included in the Interbrand Best Global Brands list for the second consecutive year. In the 2008 list, Allianz holds the position of 82nd with a value of US$4 billion.

Nicholas Scofield, General Manager Corporate Affairs at Allianz Australia, said “Allianz first entered the Interbrand Best Global Brand list in 2007 in 80th position. We are pleased that during a challenging year for the insurance industry and the financial sector generally, Allianz has been able to more or less maintain its position in 2008. Further, Allianz was the only insurer to record an increase in brand value in 2008 and only one of two out of twelve financial services companies that increased their brand value compared to the 2007 Interbrand list”.

Interbrand was established in 1974 and is the world’s largest brand consultancy. Since 2001, Interbrand has produced its Best Global Brands list in 2001, which ranks brands from 1 to 100 by value.

“Allianz is particularly pleased that the value of its brand in 2008 has increased by 2% compared to 2007, a performance which equalled or bettered that of nearly one-third of the brands that were also on the 2007 list,” Mr Scofield said.

“In uncertain times, when the brand value of most financial services companies on the Interbrand list fell, some by between 10 and 20%, it is pleasing that Allianz’s ongoing strength continues to be recognised.”

To qualify for inclusion in the list, each brand must derive at least one-third of its earnings outside its home country, be recognizable outside of its base of customers, and have publicly available marketing and financial data. The methodology evaluates brand value in the same way any other corporate asset is valued—on the basis of how much it is likely to earn for the company in the future. Interbrand uses a combination of analysts’ projections, company financial documents, and its own qualitative and quantitative analysis to arrive at a net present value of those earnings.

“To put the position of the Allianz brand into perspective in the context of non-financial services companies, it ranks closely behind Panasonic (78), Cartier (79) and Pizza Hut (81) and ahead of BP (84), Lexus (90), Prada (91), Johnson&Johnson, Ferrari (93), Shell (97) and Visa (100),” Mr Scofield added.

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Allianz Australia

Best General Insurance Company 2006*
Best General Insurance Company 2007*

The Allianz Australia Group operates in Australia and New Zealand. It is one of Australia’s largest general insurers, a leading private workers’ compensation insurer, and also provides life insurance.

Allianz Australia delivers a wide range of personal, commercial and corporate insurance products and services. AAL is proud to be of service to more than 2 million policy holders and over 50% of Australia’s top 200 BRW listed companies have some form of insurance cover with the group.

Allianz Australia offers a wide range of insurance products and services including car insurance, home insurance and Life insurance.

Allianz Australia has approximately 3300 staff. In 2007, the company achieved a gross written premium exceeding AU$2.4 billion and investment assets of approximately AU$5.5 billion. Allianz Australia Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of the worldwide Allianz Group, one of the world’s largest financial services companies.

Allianz’s commitment to social, environmental and economic sustainability has been acknowledged ‎internationally by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, which recognised Allianz as the most ‎sustainable general insurer in the world in 2007. In Australia, Allianz is a member of the Greenhouse ‎Challenge Plus program, which is a cooperative partnership between industry and the Australian ‎Government that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.‎

*Australian Banking and Finance Insurance Awards