Swiss Re launches international training centre (hktdc.com)


	SITC’s Principal, Hermann Hefti (left) briefs Invest Hong Kong's Simon Galpin on the campus facilities

Leading global reinsurer Swiss Re recently opened the Swiss Insurance Training Centre (HK), to mark the company’s fiftieth year in Asia-Pacific. The Centre provides state-of-the-art courses for insurance and reinsurance professionals from throughout the region.

Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Frederick Ma, at the opening ceremony at SITC (HK) in Hong Kong’s Cyberport, said: “The opening of SITC Asia-Pacific campus will help to reinforce Hong Kong’s position as a regional insurance hub and support our continuous effort to upgrade our insurance human resources.”

He added, “The fact that nowadays over 40% of SITC’s students base in its Zurich centre actually come from Asia is what is behind Swiss Re’s decision to open a new campus in Asia. It is also a testimony to the growing significance and opportunities of the Asia insurance market.”

High-tech infrastructure in Cyberport

Located in Hong Kong’s high-tech Cyberport complex, the 2000 square metre plus training facility has a capacity to accommodate 125 trainees at any given time. SITC (HK) takes full advantage of the complex’s high-tech infrastructure to enhance learning activities by complementing classroom-based training with computer-based learning.

Mr Pierre Ozendo, Swiss Re Group Executive Board member, said in his opening remarks, “This new facility is an expression of gratitude to a region that has been our home for 50 years. To Swiss Re, this learning centre symbolises our continued commitment to the region, to the insurance industry here, and importantly, to the people who will succeed us as leaders in the future.”

The first class of trainees, including 50 hailing from insurance companies in China, India, and Indonesia, were among those attending today’s ceremonies.

SITC (HK) shares premises with the Swiss Re Academy, the company's internal training and development arm. In addition, Swiss Re will use the new Cyberport facility as BCM (business continuity management) and disaster recovery sites for the company’s Asia-Pacific operations.

Mike Rowse, Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong said SITC’s decision to choose Hong Kong for its first international campus outside of Switzerland “is an important recognition of Hong Kong’s leading position as Asia’s insurance hub.”

Founded in Zurich in 1863, Swiss Re opened its first office in Hong Kong in 1956. Over the past 50 years, the company has established a strong network of 12 offices in Asia-Pacific through its regional headquarters in Hong Kong. The company now employs more than 1,000 staff in Asia-Pacific.

The Swiss Insurance Training Centre (SITC) is one of the world’s leading insurance training centres with over 40 years’ experience in developing technical and managerial skills of national and international insurance professionals at various stages of their careers.