What AIG Plans to Do Next: CEO Benmosche
After paying back the U.S. government, American International Group now wants to demonstrate financial strength and start expanding both its life and property and casualty businesses, CEO Robert Benmosche told CNBC's "Closing Bell" on Thursday.
"We want to make sure we maintain sufficient liquidity so there's no question about our strength," the AIG executive said. The insurer will also start buying back debt and down the road may look at a dividend or a stock buyback once it satisfies its regulators of its financial standing.
Benmosche said AIG will look at returning capital to shareholders "when everybody is absolutely confident we have sufficient liquidity to handle any financial stress."
Last week, the Treasury completed its final sale of AIG common stock, reducing its stake in the insurer to zero four years after a massive government bailout.
Separately, AIG raised more than $6 billion through the sale of its remaining stake in Asian insurer AIA, which Benmosche will go toward general corporate purposes for next year.
Benmosche said AIG may look at taking its life-insurance business — it still operates in the U.S. and Japan — global over the next couple of years.
"We're also going to grow our property-casualty business both on the commercial side which is strong globally and the consumer business where we sell accident, health and auto," he said.
"There are still risks out there," Benmosche added. "There's importance for companies to make sure they protect themselves from cyber attacks, directors suits and property casualty risks like another hurricane coming through," he said.
