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Bupa International wins the Queen's Award for Enterprise in the international trade category

May 2005

The Queen's Award for Enterprise has been won by Bupa International for its continuous outstanding achievement in the international trade category. The award recognises its performance between 1998 and 2003, a period during which the business's export earnings more than doubled. It is the second time that the business has received the Queen's Award. It was previously given an export achievement award in 1999.

Managing director Keith Biddlestone said: "This award is a great reflection on the team at Bupa International.

"The business has gone from strength to strength and is achieving an annual increase of around seven percent in customers.

"That’s down to giving customers the products they want and raising satisfaction with the service we provide to an all time high."

Keith has joined the business from Bupa Healthcare Asia in Hong Kong, where he was managing director for three years. He said: "We’re the largest expatriate health insurer in the world and there are exciting opportunities for further growth.

"The global labour market is becoming more fluid with an increasing number of companies and their employees working outside their home countries."

In its application for the award Bupa International highlighted how it has:

• introduced products for a range of markets including Global Choice for US expatriates living and working overseas. This has been developed in partnership with UnitedHealthcare, one of America's largest healthcare companies. Other health plans cover people living in Spain for at least six months a year and customers in Latin America
• established itself in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), working with local partner the Oman Insurance Company. It has nearly 13,000 customers in the UAE
• set up an insurance business in Egypt
• secured some of the world’s leading companies as customers. They include General Electric, Shell and Chevron Texaco
• simplified access to treatment for customers and settling of bills and now pays claims in about 80 different currencies
• received eight awards, included being voted  Best International Insurance Provider" by readers of Health Insurance magazine for five years in a row

Bupa International will be able to display the award emblem on its literature, letterheads and in its offices for the next five years. The award will be presented at the business's headquarters in Brighton on behalf of the Queen by the Lord Lieutenant of Sussex.

Factfile

• The Queen's Awards are the UK's most prestigious for business performance. They recognise outstanding achievement by UK companies.
• The awards are made by the Queen on the advice of the prime minister, who is assisted by an advisory committee that includes representatives of government, industry and commerce and trade unions.