The “Association of International Life Offices” describes the original composition of AILO when it was established in 1987. A ‘life office’ is a rather old-fashioned industry term widely used in the British Isles and refers to a company dealing in life insurance. These days, of course, AILO has a far wider scope, with many of its Members still representing insurance companies, but with a large number of Members from supporting industries, such as technology, fund management and service providers. AILO also has affiliate relationships with like-minded organisations in the financial services industry. AILO was formed in 1987 by a number of companies providing insurance and investment services in many areas of the world. The founding members recognised the vast potential of the international opportunity and its parallel development in the European Single Market, as well as the need for the emerging industry to have a framework of communication, standards and representation. Several decades later AILO has built on these founding aims and has three areas of focus, or ‘pillars’, which it uses to address today's challenges. AILO’s three pillars are: Education, Advocacy and Analysis. Our sole focus is on the cross-border life insurance and wealth management industry, which means we are never distracted by domestic issues, non-life issues, or politics. Our years of experience of dealing with regulators, tax authorities and international bodies means we are well-placed to deal directly with industry issues.