LONDON -(Dow Jones)- U.K. insurer Prudential PLC (PRU.LN) is seeing more business opportunities in Asia and expects it to be its growth driver in the long term, Chief Executive Tidjane Thiam said Wednesday.
"We are becoming progressively more optimistic about Asia. The Asian economies are performing better than those in the West and this will only fuel the growing importance of the region in global economic terms," Thiam said.
"Prudential has a regional platform which positions us well to benefit as Asia emerges from the downturn," he said.
"For us, in the long term, nothing has changed. I am absolutely convinced that the region which offers the best long-term growth prospects is Asia," he said.
On recent reports that Prudential may be looking at a secondary listing in Asia, Thiam said: "There is no news here, there is no story. We are a large a leading player in Asia and we are working to generate the maximum amount of shareholder value and it will be remiss not to look at all options, and that of course includes where we are listed. If there is something to announce, we will."
Company Web site: www.prudential.co.uk
-By Vladimir Guevarra, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0) 2078429486; vladimir.guevarra@dowjones.com