AIA Group Ltd enjoyed a stronger-than-expected market debut on Friday following its record Hong Kong IPO last week, setting the stage for a ramp up of competition in Asia's fast-growing life insurance business.                                            The successful listing, with gains of as much as 13%, brings an end to bailed-out insurer American International Group Inc's two-year efforts to sell its Asian life insurance business, including a failed takeover attempt from British insurer Prudential plc.       AIA CEO Mark Tucker will now battle it out with Prudential to grab greater market share of Asia's life insurance business after working in Asia for about 17 years building Prudential's Asian business.                                           
Diversifying quickly into bancassurance -- selling insurance products through banks -- is one of the battles Tucker has on his hands, as he gets underway to revive growth at AIA after the wounds inflicted by AIG's near-collapse.                                            "The successful IPO would turn management's full attention back to the core business. The IPO and the separation from AIG took up some of management's time," said Sally Yim, senior analyst of financial institutions group at Moody's Investor Service.                                            "Whoever is able to diversify into bancassurance and at the same time strengthen their agency productivity will be the winner in Asia," she added.                                            By 0340 GMT, AIA shares were trading at HK$22.10, 12% above the IPO price of HK$19.68 each, after reaching a high of HK$22.25. A Reuters poll had, on average, forecast the shares to start trading at HK$21.79.