The Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) is forging a stronger relationship with its UK counterpart the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) to drive growth in Asia, promote insurance as a career and foster the development of professional standards.

But ANZIIF National Marketing Manager Cameron Skews won't be drawn on reports in the UK media that the two bodies are planning to merge.

"We have a very close relationship with the CII and we've been developing very strong ties together," he said.

Mr Skews says ANZIIF and the CII will continue to build their brands separately in the Asian market, for the moment at least. "At this stage, we're operating separately from the CII."

He says ANZIIF has made great strides in Asia.

"China is a really strong market for us. We started working in Asia about five years ago, and a third of our members are in Asia."

ANZIIF is adapting the CII Talent Initiative program for the local market. Mr Skews says 100,000 brochures will be going out to high schools and universities early next year.

"The campaign is intended to launch in early 2008 and will seek to position insurance as an exciting career choice for young people. It will be the largest insurance careers effort ever undertaken in this market and is already generating significant support from the industry."

He says insurance has suffered from having a poor image in comparison with other financial services careers.

"People don't really understand it, and it doesn't have the ‘sexy' image that banking and stockbroking have."

ANZIIF is trying to change this by aiming at high school students. Mr Skews says the success of a DVD and teaching resource entitled "Why Risk It?" augurs well for the campaign launch next year.