The Distribution and Services (D&S) holding company is responsible for the distribution and service entities of a.s.r. and directs and coordinates (the management of) the businesses. Companies under the D&S holding company are jointly responsible for developing a centralised strategy and promoting cooperation and synergy between the businesses that form part of the holding. These companies retain their own, unique identities and organisational structure and continue to operate independently of a.s.r. but in line with the centralised strategy. The participating companies of a.s.r. in the distribution and service market are Nedasco, Van Kampen Groep (VKG), Dutch ID (Boval, Felison), Supergarant, and Poliservice. Robidus also reports to D&S, but it is a separate entity with their own strategy and is not governed through the D&S holding company.

a.s.r. uses this centralised strategy to achieve the following:

• A bigger market share and enhanced customer reach, managing the value chain and financial benefits, for instance through exploitation of benefits of scale, capital-light profitable growth and expanding and securing the a.s.r. portfolio;

• Integrated management of the administration and services to generate synergy benefits, guaranteeing a focus on local customers and target groups;

• Accelerating inorganic growth in the rapidly consolidating market through dedicated mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and integration teams;

• Creating a link between distributors and the insurer, based on optimum cooperation, in which the entrepreneurial spirit and independence of the distribution companies is preserved.

TKP Pensioen, a subsidiary of Aegon NL and a leading player in the Dutch market for pension administration, further enhances a.s.r.’s proposition for pension funds. For the Defined Benefit (DB) business, TKP administers pension rights for large corporate and industrial pension funds as well as other pension providers. Additionally, TKP takes care of the communication for these clients: from mandatory pension statements to customer contact and digital customer service. As a pension administrator, TKP is reported in the D&S segment, but it operates as a separate business line under the Life segment.