AEGON announces key appointments

Iain Black has been appointed chief operating officer, distribution. In this new role, reporting to AEGON UK chief executive Otto Thoresen, Iain will work closely with Origen managing director Stephen Greenstreet and Positive Solutions chief executive Jim Reeve in ensuring strong operational performance and effective resourcing in both businesses as they deliver their agreed strategy.

Patrick Gale has been appointed chairman of the distribution board, the non-executive board which oversees AEGON's distribution businesses. Patrick has considerable direct experience of the adviser market having been chief executive of Sesame Group from 2000-2007.

The appointments follow the announcement last week that AEGON UK chief executive Otto Thoresen has restructured the AEGON UK business, creating two separate management boards - one for the life and pensions business and the other for the distribution business, each with a chief operating officer responsible for the operational delivery of strategy in each business. Last week, Adrian Grace was confirmed as chief operating officer, life and pensions.