Aviva hires ex-Neon boss as global corporate and specialty director

Aviva has hired former Neon Underwriting chief executive Matthew Washington as its new global corporate and specialty (GCS) director in its commercial lines division.

Washington will take up the position on 14 March 2022 and report to Nick Major, Aviva’s managing director of commercial lines for UK general insurance.

Major said: “I am delighted that Washington will be joining Aviva, where he will bring a wealth of experience that will further strengthen our business and help drive the GCS strategy and deliver profitable growth.

“We welcome Washington to Aviva.”

Tackling global risks

Washington joins Aviva from specialist insurer Neon Underwriting, which operates in Lloyd’s of London. He worked there for six years, starting his tenure as group chief operating officer.

Neon Underwriting is a Lloyd’s managing agent and a subsidiary of American Financial Group (AFG) was placed into run-off at the start of 2020 after it failed to hit the group’s profitability targets. 

Prior to that, Washington worked at Ascot Underwriting in numerous roles, culminating in a director role.

Aviva initially launched its GCS division in 2010, formerly known as Corporate and Speciality Risk.

Aviva is focused on writing global risks through specialist hubs in the UK and Canada, across five business lines that serve seven key industry sectors - including financial and professions, retail and leisure, food and beverage, industrial and business services, real estate and construction, transport and distribution, as well as health and public sector.