• Andy Curran joins as CEO Savings and Retirement, UK and Europe and Group Director Scotland
• Claire Hawkins promoted to role of Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations Director

Phoenix Group, a leading retirement and savings business, today announces two appointments to the Group’s Executive Committee, with their vast experience of the sector and a wealth of ideas and insight to support Phoenix’s growth ambitions. Andy Curran is joining as CEO Savings and Retirement, UK and Europe and Group Director Scotland, and Claire Hawkins is promoted to the role of Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations Director.

After more than 10 years with Phoenix Group, and over 30 years in the life and pensions sector, Susan McInnes is to retire from her role as CEO of Standard Life Assurance and Group Director for Phoenix’s Open business later this year.

Andy Curran brings more than 30 years of life and pensions experience - most recently as MD Corporate, Aviva UK Insurance, accountable for Aviva’s UK Corporate businesses. He was previously UK CEO for Friends Life as well as holding senior roles at Prudential.

Andy will be based in Edinburgh and take on the role of CEO Savings and Retirement, UK and Europe, as well as the Group Director Scotland role.

Andy will join Phoenix in July and will work alongside Susan to deliver a smooth handover before Susan steps down in the autumn. He will lead the Group’s Open book and BPA growth strategy, and enhance Phoenix’s position as a leader in the workplace market, helping customers throughout their journey to and through retirement. As well as the Open businesses in the UK, Andy will be responsible for our European operations and SunLife.

Separately, Claire Hawkins has been promoted with immediate effect into an expanded role of Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations Director, with responsibility for Phoenix’s external relations activity, including the Group’s Sustainability strategy.

In almost 20 years working for Phoenix companies, she has led a number of transformational projects and significantly enhanced investors’ understanding of the Group and its strategy, notably contributing to Phoenix’s success in joining the FTSE100 index in 2019.

Fellow Executive Committee member John McGuigan, Group Customer Director, will also play an increasing role in building relationships for the Group in Scotland.

Andy Briggs, CEO of Phoenix Group said: “Susan has been instrumental in the transition of Standard Life Assurance into Phoenix and setting the path for success in our Open business. On behalf of the entire Board, I would like to thank her for her service, and wish her all the best in her well-earned retirement.

“In Andy, a fellow Scot, we have an excellent successor. He brings significant experience of the life and pensions sector and an exceptional track record of delivering value for customers and shareholders. He will lead Phoenix’s Open book and BPA growth strategy and enhance our position as a leader in the workplace market.

“I’m delighted to welcome Claire to the Executive Committee. Her promotion to this newly expanded position reflects our commitment to enhancing our outreach to stakeholders and how central ESG considerations are to our operations. Claire has taken a leading role in many projects which have transformed the company’s scale and operations, and she will continue to drive development in the Group in this new role.

“Phoenix will become the UK’s largest long term savings and retirement business following the completion of the ReAssure acquisition. We will have a senior management team with the skills and experience in place to drive the business forward. I’m looking forward to working closely with Claire and Andy as we progress with our strategy and our ongoing commitment to being a sustainable business that successfully supports the needs of our customers.”

Andy Curran and Claire Hawkins will both become members of the Phoenix Group Executive Committee reporting into CEO Andy Briggs.

-Ends-

Enquiries

Shellie Wells
Head of Corporate Communications
Phoenix Group
020 3735 0922 / 07872 414 137
shellie.wells@thephoenixgroup.com

Notes to editors

About Phoenix Group

Phoenix Group is the largest specialist consolidator of heritage life assurance funds in Europe. Its main focus has traditionally been on closed life fund consolidation where it specialises in the acquisition and management of closed life insurance and pension funds (its heritage business).

Alongside this, it has an open business which manufactures and underwrites new products and policies to support people saving for their future and when they come to retire. This open business is underpinned by a strategic partnership with Standard Life Aberdeen following the Phoenix Group’s acquisition of Standard Life Assurance Limited in 2018. Standard Life Assurance is a long-established expert in workplace pensions, personal pensions, long term savings and retirement solutions, and its customers and clients include individual savers and some of the largest employers in the UK, as well as professional advisers. Phoenix Group also has a market leading brand - SunLife - which sells a range of financial products specifically for the over 50s market.

Phoenix Group is a member of the FTSE 100 index, and has 10 million policyholders and £248 billion of assets under management. It has four operating life companies and operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany.