(Bloomberg) — After General Electric Co. began selling finance operations to exit too-big-to-fail status, American International Group Inc. Chief Executive Officer Peter Hancock said it wasn't clear that escaping the government risk tag would offer significant benefits to his company.
Then in November, Hancock rebuffed investor Carl Icahn's proposal to break up AIG into three insurers, even as the activist said his plan would help AIG exit its designation as a non-bank systemically important financial institution. Now, the pressure is increasing further after rival insurer MetLife Inc., another non-bank SIFI, announced a plan Tuesday to separate much of its U.S. retail operation.
"This is a significant development in the SIFI de-designation debate," said Isaac Boltansky, an analyst with Compass Point Research & Trading LLC in Washington. "Beyond MetLife, this announcement further crystallizes the compliance and operational burden of the SIFI tag, which is likely to intensify calls for AIG to consider embracing a strategic shift resulting in de-designation."
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