Briggs makes his mark with Aviva UK team shuffle

Aviva UK’s top team is undergoing a further reshuffle, which means more responsibility for UK general insurance (GI) chief executive Colm Holmes and a new role for UK GI personal lines managing director Lindsey Rix.

The changes to the Aviva UK team, effective from the second quarter this year, follow the combination of general, life and health insurance under UK insurance chief executive Andy Briggs.

The changes will see UK GI boss Holmes head up the Global Corporate and Specialty Risk unit in addition to his current duties and Rix move over to head the savings retirement unit. Rix replaces current savings and retirement head Clive Bolton, who is leaving the company after 25 years.

Angus Eaton, who has headed commercial lines and Global Corporate and Specialty Risk since the departure of Ian Foy at the end of 2014, will become strategic and transformational director, reporting to Briggs.

Rix will not be directly replaced as personal lines head. Holmes will have responsibility for all general insurance product manufacturing, while distribution will be handled by the heads of the four customer segments: corporate, strategic partners, intermediaries and digital.

UK GI chief distribution officer Phil Bayles will continue to lead Aviva’s proposition for intermediaries primarily on general insurance.

Andy Curran, managing director of corporate business solutions, will head the corporate team, which means his role will expand to include corporates, SMEs and their advisers, across life, GI and health.

Rob Barker will continue to head the strategic partners unit, while UK digital managing director Blair Turnbull will continue to head digital.

Briggs said: “As the UK’s largest insurer – offering the widest range of insurance products - we believe Aviva has a unique opportunity to grow in the UK. We want to provide a simple, more convenient and better value service to our customers and so we are bringing our UK businesses together - life insurance, general insurance and health insurance.

“The management team we have announced today has the right experience and ambition and, with the benefits of our investment in digital, I am confident Aviva has what it takes to be the number one choice for our partners and customers.”

Mark Noble, currently managing director of UK health, will lead the health and protection unit.

UK GI claims director Rob Townend will continue to run GI claims, reporting to Holmes.