Great-West Lifeco Inc. completes offering of Preferred Shares

TSX:GWO

    /NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE
    UNITED STATES./
    

WINNIPEG , Oct. 2, 2009 /CNW/ - Great-West Lifeco Inc. (the "Company") today announced the closing of its previously announced offering of Non-Cumulative First Preferred Shares, Series L. Following the successful sale of the initially announced offering of 6,000,000 Series L Shares, the underwriters of the offering exercised their option to purchase an additional 800,000 Series L Shares, resulting in the Company issuing today 6,800,000 Series L Shares to raise gross proceeds of $170 million . The net proceeds will be used by the Company for general corporate purposes and to augment the Company's current liquidity position.

The offering was made through a syndicate of underwriters co-led by BMO Capital Markets, CIBC and Scotia Capital Inc. The shares will be posted for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "GWO.PR.L".

The securities offered have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSX:GWO) is a financial services holding company with interests in the life insurance, health insurance, retirement savings, investment management and reinsurance businesses. The Company has operations in Canada , the United States , Europe and Asia through The Great-West Life Assurance Company, London Life Insurance Company, The Canada Life Assurance Company, Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company and Putnam Investments, LLC. Lifeco and its companies have nearly $442 billion in assets under administration and are members of the Power Financial Corporation group of companies.

Cautionary note regarding Forward-Looking Information

This release contains some forward-looking statements about the Company, including its business operations, strategy and expected financial performance and condition. Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or include words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates" or negative versions thereof and similar expressions. In addition, any statement that may be made concerning future financial performance (including revenues, earnings or growth rates), ongoing business strategies or prospects, possible future Company action including statements made by the Company with respect to the expected benefits of acquisitions or divestitures are also forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about future events and are inherently subject to, among other things, risks, uncertainties and assumptions about the Company, economic factors and the financial services industry generally, including the insurance and mutual fund industries. They are not guarantees of future performance, and actual events and results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements made by the Company due to, but not limited to, important factors such as sales levels, premium income, fee income, expense levels, mortality experience, morbidity experience, policy lapse rates and taxes, as well as general economic, political and market factors in North America and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological change, changes in government regulations, unexpected judicial or regulatory proceedings, catastrophic events, and the Company's ability to complete strategic transactions and integrate acquisitions. The reader is cautioned that the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive, and there may be other factors, including factors set out under "Risk Management and Control Practices" in the Company's 2008 Annual Management's Discussion and Analysis and any listed in other filings with securities regulators, which are available for review at www.sedar.com. The reader is also cautioned to consider these and other factors carefully and to not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Other than as specifically required by applicable law, the Company has no intention to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For further information: Marlene Klassen, APR, Assistant Vice-President, Communication Services, [phone]