CARY, NC (Nov. 05, 2007) – SAS, the leader in business intelligence, led a forum for European insurance leaders to discuss Solvency II with its chief European Union architects. Solvency II, a set of proposed regulatory requirements for insurance firms that operate in the EU, is expected to reinvent the way financial stability of insurers is evaluated.

Mikael Hagström, SAS Executive Vice President of Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) and Asia Pacific told about 100 attendees, including SAS customers and EU officials and other policymakers, that the legislation is a springboard for innovation and competitive advantage.

"Solvency II is more than a cost-for-compliance issue,” Hagström said. “It is an opportunity for companies to transform their business by putting an enterprise risk management system in place to gain competitive advantage. The future of insurance companies will be determined by their ability to handle risk in a more integrated, aligned way.”

Attendees of the Solvency II Executive Roundtable included SAS customers from across the EU and Switzerland. SAS has a worldwide presence in the insurance industry, with more than 1,100 companies using SAS for customer intelligence, performance management and risk management.

Earlier this month, SAS announced a new solution to help insurers comply with Solvency II and achieve better risk management processes. SAS® Enterprise Risk Management for Insurance features applications for both general and life insurance to measure and manage regulatory and economic capital and also includes capabilities for risk monitoring and risk-adjusted performance management. Based on SAS’ award-winning enterprise risk data architecture, applications will be delivered to meet the insurance industry’s specific requirements.