MONTREAL, April 23, 2002 – Standard Life Canada announced
today that for the third consecutive time it has been named the “Best Supplier
Overall” in a survey of companies offering pension plan products in Canada.
Conducted by Brendan Wood International, an independent
financial services research firm, the study included in-depth interviews with over 100
intermediaries who operate on behalf of group retirement plan sponsors across the country.
These intermediaries help the sponsors to identify their retirement needs and the
suppliers that best meet those needs.
“We are very pleased to receive the recognition that
these results represent”, said Claude Garcia, President of the Canadian Operations of
Standard Life. “Company pension plans are not usually in the spotlight, but this is
like winning the Best Picture award. The competition is strong and it is an honour just to
be among the top contenders”.
“We owe our success to our total customer satisfaction
philosophy and, to a great extent, to the dedication of our employees”, added Mr.
Garcia. “Whether it is face-to-face, over the phone or through the Internet, our
people excel at doing whatever is necessary to meet customers’ retirement needs.”
“With all the choices, and all the changes, in the
financial services industry these days, it can be hard even for large employers to find
the right provider for their group RRSP or retirement plan. It just got easier with the
help of this most recent survey”, concluded Mr. Garcia.
In Canada, Standard Life has over $28 billion in assets
under management and offers a wide range of financial products and services, including
group savings and pension, group life and health, individual life insurance, savings and
retirement. Through affiliated companies, it also offers mutual funds and portfolio
management services. Total premium income and deposits reached $3.7 billion in 2001.
Standard Life is part of the Standard Life Group founded in
Edinburgh (Scotland) in 1825. The Group has over $189 billion in assets under management
and over 5 million customers around the world. Total premium income and deposits reached
close to $19 billion in 2001.
Brendan Wood International is an independent partnership
providing predictive financial markets intelligence and strategic advice to the global
financial services community. For more than a quarter of a century, the BWI name has been
associated with the delivery of management advice and counsel to leading decision-makers
in the financial services industry. Through offices in New York, London, Bermuda and
Toronto, it provides services to more than 200 of the world’s leading financial institutions.
