Aviva Plc have announced the appointment of Amanda Blanc as an independent non-executive director (INED), effective 2 January 2020. Blanc will succeed Claudia Arney as chair of the Governance Committee and will become a member of the Nomination and Risk Committees upon appointment to the Board.

Amanda brings extensive knowledge and experience of the insurance industry to her role at Aviva. Amanda was previously CEO at AXA UK & Ireland, and CEO, EMEA & Global Banking Partnerships at Zurich Insurance Group.

In 2018, Amanda was the first woman to be appointed as chair of the Association of British Insurers and was also chair of the Insurance Fraud Bureau and president of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

Sir Adrian Montague, chairman, said: “We are delighted to welcome Amanda Blanc as an Independent Non-Executive Director and as the new Chair of the Governance Committee. Amanda’s breadth and depth of experience of the UK and European insurance industry, and her detailed understanding of business and customers, make her an excellent addition to our Board.”