UK – Standard Life Investments gained £912m (€1.34bn) of new institutional business in the first half of 2005.

Standard Life said: “UK institutional sales (excluding corporate pooled) have generated £912m of new business, an increase of 243%” over the June 2004 figure of £266m.

“This includes a number of new segregated equity mandates, among them the Environment Agency (£185m) and Gloucestershire County Council (£130m).” It runs £1.7bn for UK local authorities.

Total assets under management at SLI have risen to £106bn from £96bn at the end of 2004.

It said the “pipeline” of third party new business at Standard Life Investments was encouraging.

Standard Life also said that it has won “several large group pension schemes for major organisations” – although it did not name them. Group pensions generated annual premium equivalent sales of £217m in the first six months, a rise of 22%.

The Edinburgh-based group said it continues to work on its plans to demutualise.