Moss to Succeed Harvey as Aviva Group Chief Executive

Aviva plc, the U.K.-based savings, investments and insurance group, announced that Group Chief Executive Richard Harvey intends to retire July 11, 2007. The Company’s Board of Directors has named Andrew Moss, currently Aviva’s finance director, to succeed him.

Under Harvey’s leadership Aviva has become the UK’s largest insurer and the world’s fifth largest financial and insurance group (based on gross worldwide premiums for the year ended Dec. 31, 2005). He orchestrated the 1997 merger and subsequent reorganizations that brought together CGU and Norwich Union. In 2004 he successfully lured Moss away from his position as Lloyd’s CFO to join Aviva (See IJ web site Jan. 30, 2004).

“Philip Scott, currently executive director, Aviva International, will become group finance director and Patrick Snowball, appointed executive director, Aviva UK, in January last year, will continue to be responsible for Norwich Union, RAC and Aviva’s offshore services,” said the Company’s announcement.

Lord Sharman of Redlynch, Aviva’s chairman, commented: “Richard Harvey is a class act by anyone’s standards. His professionalism, skill, and foresight have made a lasting, positive contribution not only to Aviva but to the international insurance industry.

“When I became Aviva’s chairman, Richard signaled to me that he may not want to stay until the normal retirement age of 60. This is characteristic of his openness, integrity, capacity for thinking well-ahead and innate desire to do what is right. I respect his wish to apply his many and varied talents to other ventures, all of which will undoubtedly benefit from his visionary insight and strong leadership.

“I am delighted that Andrew Moss has agreed to succeed Richard as Aviva’s group chief executive. He has extensive knowledge of the insurance sector and an excellent track record in the international financial services industry. I am looking forward to working with him as he leads Aviva through the next phase of its growth.

“Philip Scott will bring his exemplary track record in building Aviva’s businesses outside the UK, together with his actuarial and financial knowledge, to the role of group finance director, and Patrick Snowball will continue to drive forward his successful program of change within the UK businesses.”

Harvey stated: “I am proud of having helped to create in Aviva a business that has scale, presence and identity in more than 25 markets across the world. Aviva is now one of the outright leaders in the global insurance industry with an increasingly powerful brand that is instantly recognizable and highly differentiated in international markets. With almost 10 years as a CEO under my belt, there are other dimensions to my life and other things I want to achieve in both international charity work and the business world.

“Now is the right time for me to set out on my next adventure while I have the energy and desire to make a difference. Having built a management team at Aviva which has real strength and depth I know that I will leave the company in expert hands.”

Moss added: “I am very excited at the prospect of leading Aviva through the next stage in its development. Aviva is a high quality and distinctive company which is earning a reputation for excellence in the global marketplace. I am looking forward to working with our strong, dedicated and talented management team as we build on our worldwide platform and identify new opportunities for growth.”