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Aviva Investors appoints CEO from real assets business

Mark Versey Aviva InvestorsMark Versey, the investment chief at Aviva Investors who the firm said had “significantly grown” the real assets business - has been appointed chief executive.

Versey has been with Aviva Investors since 2014, most recently as chief investment officer for real assets.

Euan Munro, the firm’s CEO of seven years, is due to take up a role outside of the firm.

Amanda Blanc, chief executive of the insurance group Aviva that owns Aviva Investors, said: “Mark is the leader that Aviva Investors needs to take it forward. Aviva Investors is a core part of Aviva and its investment capabilities are critical to our ambition to be the UK’s leading insurer.”

Blanc added that  she had been impressed with Versey’s determination to “strengthen Aviva Investors, deliver excellent investment performance and extend our leadership in responsible investing”.

Versey said his priority would be to provide customers with outcomes they are looking for, including meeting net zero emission targets through sustainable investments.

“We have a significant opportunity at Aviva Investors to grow the business organically and help Aviva meet its ambitions in the UK,” he said.

Aviva Investors struggled last year, reporting in August that its operating profit had tumbled in the first half to £35 million from £60 million in the same period of 2019. However, the firm continued to make a number of real assets investments.

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