Aviva Investors will establish a number of offices in the Asia Pacific region and the firm's head said it is business as usual despite the sale of the firm's insurance businesses.

Aviva yesterday said it had sold its Australian life business and wealth management platform to National Australia Bank.

"Aviva's global business includes three pillars: general insurance, life insurance and asset management. The business has decided to keep the asset management business so for us it is business as usual," Aviva Investors chief executive Craig Bingham said.

The firm is currently developing a China, India, Taiwan and Japan business and has already set up an office in Singapore and Abu Dhabi.

"We will also be leveraging from the strengths of our businesses around the world. This will mean that we will be introducing new products into the Australian market," Bingham said.

"With Australia as the head office of the region it makes sense that the asset management business continue to be the regional headquarters for the firm."

Aviva Investors currently manages funds on behalf of Aviva's life company. However, Bingham said the firm is still deciding what do with the transitioning of the funds.

Despite the wealth platform being sold, Bingham said the asset manager's products are already listed on a number of other platforms and "they continue to generate inflows for the firm".

Bingham said the firm's decision to maintain the asset management business was part of Aviva's strategy announced in October 2008 of bringing asset management businesses around the world under one brand.

This means Aviva Investors in Australia and 10 other asset management firms owned by Aviva would operate under one brand.

The firm has $7.5 billion in funds under management.