Our Board members
The role of the Board is to set the tone from the top on the group’s governance, culture and values, and to be collectively responsible for our long-term success.
For the Board this means running our business with integrity, complying with all relevant laws and regulations and enabling the highest standards of internal control and risk management.
The Board is comprised of an independent non executive chair, five independent non-executive directors and the CEO who is an executive director.
The directors collectively have the appropriate balance of skills, knowledge and experience in the financial services industry, in particular life insurance, with-profits, investments, risk and governance.
Date of appointment: 17 June 2022
Simon has over 30 years’ experience in financial services. He began his career as a credit analyst, specialising in insurance at Lloyds Banking Group, and went on to join the global insurance team at Chase Manhattan Bank. He was later appointed regional director for the corporate banking business at Barclays Bank (South-West of England and Wales). Simon spent three years as the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) international director and as a member of its management board. In 2022 he completed a ten-year term as chair at Cambridge and Counties Bank. He has also been a governor at the University of the West of England, a non-executive board member of the Government Office of the South-West and chairman of Pennant International Group PLC.
External appointments
LV= committee membership
Date of appointment: 26 September 2022
Date of appointment to the Board: 24 October 2022
David has spent 30 years in the financial services and insurance sector. He began his career at Barclays in 1992 working in a variety of roles before becoming chief operating officer at Barclays’ Offshore business. He joined AXA UK in 2001 in a senior operations role, ultimately overseeing operations for the UK and Ireland. When Resolution acquired the majority of the UK life business from AXA, merging the business with the Friends Provident business to create Friends Life, David joined Friends Life as group chief operating officer, leaving as UK chief executive officer in 2013. He joined Bupa UK in 2014 and led the transformation agenda for the UK business as well as running the health clinics division. His most recent role was as chief executive officer of Bupa’s UK and Global markets, which included all the UK businesses and international health insurance.
LV= committee membership
Date of appointment: 1 March 2022
Natalie is an experienced non-executive director with a strong background in financial services and regulation. Natalie has held three chief executive roles, including at the National Archives, HM Courts and Tribunal Service and the Financial Ombudsman Service. She’s also served on the UK executive of HSBC. Her non-executive experience includes Anglian Water, OpenReach, Countrywide plc, Innovate Finance and Ford Credit Europe (Bank). She was awarded a CBE in 2010.
External appointments
LV= committee membership
Date of appointment: 1 August 2017
Colin is an experienced actuary and risk professional with over 30 years’ experience in the insurance industry. He has previously held a number of senior executive roles at Standard Life, including as chief actuary and chief risk officer. Colin’s non-executive experience includes Bupa, ReAssure and the National Records of Scotland.
LV= committee membership
Date of appointment: 1 April 2020
Susan has worked in the life and pensions sector for over 30 years. She was at the Phoenix Group for over twelve years where she was customer director of the life companies and chief risk officer, before being appointed chief executive officer of Standard Life Assurance in September 2018. Susan was previously appointed as a board member of the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and chair of the ABI’s Long-Term Savings Committee.
External appointments
LV= committee membership
Date of appointment: 1 March 2022
Suzy has deep financial services experience as both an executive and non-executive director. Her executive roles have included managing director of equities at Merrill Lynch followed by 14 years at J O Hambro Capital Management where she was global head of distribution. Suzy sits on the boards of Isio, Jupiter Asset Management and Witan Investment Trust and is also a trustee of the Prince’s Trust. She is a qualified barrister.
External appointments
LV= committee membership
Date of appointment: 1 March 2023
David has more than 25 years’ experience of financial services with a deep knowledge of the insurance and life and pensions industry. He worked at Aviva for more than 20 years in a variety of senior roles including chief finance officer of Aviva’s UK Life and Pensions business.
External appointments
LV= committee membership
Date of appointment: 22 June 2023
Stephen has enjoyed a successful career in financial services and has extensive life insurance experience from 25 years in the industry. He has held a wide range of senior finance roles including CFO of Standard Life’s insurance business and CFO of the life businesses within the Phoenix Group. He also has international experience gained from working in China, India and Canada.
LV= committee membership