Aviva has today announced that John Kitson, sales & marketing director for their UK general insurance business, is to leave his post in March 2010.
John joined the then Norwich Union 14 years ago as head of brand and marketing, focused primarily on intermediary business. His current role on the UKGI board covers sales and marketing for both the direct and broker businesses, as well as RAC and partnerships.
Of his move, John said: “Usually when someone moves out of a role like mine and has no plans to go into another one there’s speculation about the reasons. But there’s no need to speculate because I won’t be popping up in a competitors’ office – ever!
“This is a personal choice to have a rest, go fishing, write a book, go to Norwich City FC away games, and take stock.
“I have enjoyed my time at Aviva but life moves on.”
Igal Mayer, chief executive of Aviva’s UK general insurance business has extended his warm thanks to John as well as looking to the future.
“I thank John for bringing so much to Aviva over the last 14 years, from driving the early growth of Norwich Union Direct to his recent prominent role in our rebrand to Aviva. We will miss him. On behalf of the entire Aviva team, as well as our brokers and partners, I wish him all the best in whatever his future holds,” he said.
Igal went on to say: “Alongside the news about John, we’ve been planning changes to our future Sales & Marketing team to take us forward, not just for the next six months whilst John very much remains our sales & marketing director, but for the long term future.”
After a period of transformation during which Aviva’s UK general insurance business has focused on reshaping the book, building core insurance capability and delivering the promise of scale, Sales & Marketing within Aviva UKGI is entering the next phase of its evolution, focused externally on our customers, brokers and partners to build on the platform for growth we have put in place. This will mean that the Sales & Marketing senior management structure will change over the next month.
John’s successor will be announced in due course to ensure an orderly transition. Janice Deakin will continue as corporate sales director until March 2010 when her current role will cease and she will take on a new role.
