Andy Briggs, Aviva’s UK Insurance CEO, is to step down following the recent appointment of Maurice Tulloch as Aviva’s CEO.

Mr Briggs, a director of Aviva and a former chair of the ABI, will leave Aviva officially in October but will be on gardening leave from next week, 30 April. He will also help with transition until he officially departs the company.

Aviva’s current group chief risk officer Angela Darlington will become interim CEO of UK Insurance.  She has held a number of senior finance and actuarial roles. 

Mr Briggs joined the Aviva board in April 2015 to lead Aviva’s expanded UK Life business following the £5.6bn Aviva acquisition of Friends Life where he was group chief executive.  He has had a number of industry roles including Government Business Champion for Older Workers. 

The changes are part of a raft of senior management moves with the potential for more to come as new CEO Maurice Tulloch builds his team.

Aviva says that MrTulloch will lead a “review of the UK businesses” to ensure the “appropriate management structure” is in place  for the future.

Maurice Tulloch plans to bring more business unit leaders on to the group’s senior leadership team in order to “broaden it.”

Colm Holmes, chief executive of Aviva Canada and Global Corporate & Speciality, and Patrick Dixneuf, who becomes chief executive of Aviva’s European businesses and remains as CEO of Aviva France, will join Aviva’s Leadership Team. 

As a result, Aviva says it will not seek to appoint a new CEO International, the role taken by Maurice Tulloch before he became group chief executive.

Mr Tulloch said: “These appointments are an important first step to bring greater energy, pace and commercial thinking to Aviva. 

“Andy Briggs will be missed. Andy is a brilliant leader and a good friend. Aviva has benefited enormously from his extensive industry experience and his integrity and we wish him well for the future. I look forward to working with him during the transitionary period.”

Sir Adrian Montague, chairman of Aviva, said: “Andy has made a great contribution to Aviva’s business since he joined the Group following the acquisition of Friends Life in 2015.  On behalf of the Board, I would like to pay particular tribute to Andy for his conduct throughout the process to select a new CEO and afterwards, and Andy will leave with our best wishes for his future career.”