Aegon N.V.

Aegon N.V. is a Dutch multinational life insurance, pensions and asset management company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. As of December 31, 2017, Aegon companies employed approximately 28,318 people worldwide, serving millions of customers.[1] In 2020, the company had 26,000 employees.[2] Aegon is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam and is a constituent of the AEX index.

"Knab" redirects here. For other uses, see KNAB and Knab (surname).
Aegon N.V.
TypeNaamloze vennootschap
IndustryFinancial services
Founded1983 (1983)
HeadquartersThe Hague, Netherlands
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Lard Friese (CEO)
ServicesLife insurance, asset management, pensions
Revenue €67.691 billion (2019)[1]
€2.393 billion (2017)[1]
€2.361 billion (2017)[1]
AUM €897.671 billion (2019)[1]
Total assets €441.123 billion (2019)[1]
Total equity €16,662 million (2019)[1]
Number of employees
 23,757 (end 2019)[1]
Websitewww.aegon.com

History

Aegon was founded in 1983 from the merger of AGO Holding N.V. (created by the merger of Algemeene Friesche, Groot-Noordhollandsche and Olveh (Onderlinge Verzekeringsmaatschappij Eigen Hulp) in 1968) and Ennia N.V. (formed by the merger of Eerste Nederlandsche and Nillmij (Nederlandsch-Indische Levensverzekering- en Lijfrente-Maatschappij) in 1969).

Aegon acquired Scottish Equitable in 1994.[3] In 1998 it formed Stonebridge International Insurance Ltd to create and market a range of personal insurance products, providing accident, health and unemployment cover to its own customers and via business partners.

In 1999 it acquired the life assurance business of Guardian Royal Exchange.[3] That year it also bought Transamerica Corporation.[4]

On August 13, 2007, Aegon and Merrill Lynch announced a strategic business partnership in the areas of life insurance and investment products. As part of the relationship, Aegon acquired two of Merrill Lynch's life insurance companies for US$1.3 billion.[5]

On April 23, 2008, Alex Wynaendts succeeded the retiring Donald J. Shepard as chairman of the executive board and CEO of Aegon N.V. following the group's annual general meeting of shareholders: Donald Shepard announced his retirement in November 2007, after six years as chairman.[6]

On October 28, 2008, the Dutch government and De Nederlandsche Bank agreed to give Aegon a €3 billion capital injection to create a capital buffer in exchange for convertible bonds to ease the group through the financial crisis.[7] On June 15, 2011, Aegon fulfilled its key objective of repurchasing all of the €3 billion core capital securities issued to the Dutch State. The total amount Aegon has paid to the Dutch State amounts to €4.1 billion. Of this amount, €3 billion covered the original issue of core capital securities, while an additional €1.1 billion was paid in premium and interest.

On August 3, 2011, Aegon USA announced that all its various businesses will be grouped under a single brand name: Transamerica. Transamerica's key businesses are life insurance, investments and retirement. The group includes companies whose history goes back over 100 years and whose products and services have become well known throughout the US, including founding companies Life Investors Insurance Company of America and Monumental Life Insurance Company.

On 15 May 2020, Lard Friese (former CEO of NN Group) succeeded Alex Wynaendts as the CEO of Aegon N.V..

Operations
Aegon's world headquarters in The Hague

Aegon's businesses focus on life insurance and pensions, savings and asset management products. The group is also active in accident and supplemental health insurance and general insurance, and has limited banking activities. Aegon has major operations in the United States (where it is heavily represented through World Financial Group and Transamerica), the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. In addition, the group is present in a number of other countries including Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Turkey, Spain, China, Japan, North America and India.

Aegon's world headquarters are in The Hague, Netherlands

North America
  • Aegon USA, LLC
  • Transamerica Corporation
  • World Financial Group US Inc.

Netherlands
  • Aegon Levensverzekering
  • Aegon Schadeverzekering
  • Aegon Bank
  • OPTAS Pensioenen
  • Aegon Spaarkas
  • Unirobe Meeus Groep
  • TKP Pensioen
  • Aegon Hypotheken

United Kingdom
  • Scottish Equitable plc (trading as Aegon UK)
  • Origen Financial Services
  • Positive Solutions
  • Cofunds
  • Blackrock UK
  • Nationwide

Other
  • Aegon España S.A. (Spain)
  • Aegon Magyarország Általános Biztositó Zrt. (Hungary)
  • Aegon TU na Życie S.A. / Aegon Powszechne Towarzystwo Emerytalne S.A. (Poland)

Joint ventures
  • Aegon-CNOOC Life Insurance Company (50% joint venture with CNOOC) (China)
  • Aegon Sony Life Insurance Cy (50% joint venture with Sony) (Japan)
  • Caja Badajoz Vida y Pensiones (Spain)
  • Banca Civica joint venture partners: CAN Vida y Pensiones S.A. de Seguros (50% joint venture), Caja Burgos Vida (50%), CAN Seguros de Salud (50%) (Spain)
  • Cantabris Vida Y Pensiones (50%) (Spain)
  • Liberbank Vida y Pensiones (50%) (Spain)
  • Unnim Vida (50%) (50%) (Spain)
  • Aegon Industrial Fund Management Co. (49%) (China)
  • AMVEST Vastgoed B.V. (Netherlands)

Shareholdings
  • N.V. Levensverzekeringsmaatschappij "De Hoop" (33.3%) (Netherlands)
  • Tenet Group Limited (22%) (United Kingdom)
  • Seguros Argos (89%) (Mexico)
  • Aegon Life Insurance Company Ltd [8] (49%) (India)
  • Mongeral Aegon (50%) (Brazil)

Banking services

AEGON also operates a direct bank under the brand name "Knab" in the Netherlands. Soon after it was founded in 2012 the bank came under criticism for having the highest cost for any transaction account compared to other Dutch banks.[9][10] Knab responded by saying that other banks hid many of its costs in other products.[11]

Sponsorships

In 2008, Aegon became the official sponsor of the Dutch football team AFC Ajax, in a deal which lasted for seven years.[12] Ajax's uniform featured the Aegon logo across the chest. Aegon became the third sponsor of Ajax (TDK sponsored Ajax since 1982 until 1991, and ABN AMRO sponsored the team from 1991 till 2008). As of late 2008, Aegon also sponsor the Lawn Tennis Association. A sponsorship package was agreed with the LTA and Aegon's name will appear on all four pillars of British Tennis, including many professional tournaments, one of which is the AEGON Championships, an ATP grasscourt professional tennis tournament in June in London, taking over from Stella Artois, who had sponsored the event since 1979. Since 2004, Transamerica has been the primary sponsor of the American golfer Zach Johnson. AEGON is one of the strategic industry partners with Duisenberg school of finance.[13]

Headquarters office

The headquarters office of Aegon is located in The Hague and designed by OTH Architects.[14] Initially AEGON wanted to redesign only the conference rooms, but while working on it they decided to improve and redesign the full building. The office spaces, the main hall and the restaurant were redesigned. The new design has a lot of glass like glass walls manufactured by SI-X.[15] The restaurant has a main helical staircase with a full glass balustrade manufactured by Eestairs and did win the prize for the best staircase of the year in 2008.[16][17] In 2009 Aegon decided to buy this building from real estate fund Unibail-Rodamco and keep the building as their headquarters.

Criticism

In June 2018 AEGON was criticized by environmental organizations for its investments in tar sands oil companies and pipelines.[18] Aegon reacted by stating that it was developing a new policy with regards to the oil and gas sector.[19]

References
  1. "2017 Annual Report" (PDF). Aegon Investor Relations. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 18, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  2. home page
  3. Aegon plans further deals after GRE buy Independent, 13 August 1999
  4. "Transamerica History". www.transamerica.com. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  5. Aegon buys Merrill Lynch insurance companies for $1.3bn Marketwatch, 13 August 2007
  6. Alex Wynaendts to succeed Donald Shepard as Chairman of Aegon PR Newswire, 8 November 2008
  7. Government reinforces AEGON’s capital position by EUR 3 billion Archived December 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine De Nederlandische Bank, 28 October 2008
  8. "Aegon Religare Life Insurance renamed as Aegon Life Insurance - The Economic Times". The Economic Times.
  9. New Bank KNAB very expensive Archived 2016-05-07 at the Wayback Machine, consumentenbond.nl, 21 september 2012.
  10. Saving with Knab:sigaar uit eigen doos, De Telegraaf, 1 oktober 2012.
  11. Aegon and Alex founder start new bank, Knab, NRC, 20 september 2012.
  12. AEGON new head sponsor AFC Ajax Archived October 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Ajax, 17 October 2007
  13. "DSF Industry Partners". Archived from the original on 2014-06-13.
  14. "AEGON Hoofdkantoor - Gulden Feniks". www.nrpguldenfeniks.nl. Archived from the original on 20 July 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  15. Details of glass walls (Dutch) Archived June 17, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  16. "Details of helical staircase in restaurant". Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  17. "Design trappen - Balustrade - Ontwerp en constructie - EeStairs". www.trappen.info. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  18. Reijn, Gerard, "Pensioenbeleggers investeren een miljard in 'vuilste vorm van olie die er is" in de Volkskrant d.d.19 juni 2018 en Santen, Hester van, "Grote pensioenfondsen beleggen in vervuilende winning teerzanden Canada", Nrc.nl d.d. 20 juni 2018
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