John Ainley

group HR and CR director
Aviva plc

born September 1956

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John Ainley was appointed group HR director in April 2006. He is a member of the group executive committee.

Before joining the Aviva group in 1999, John held several senior HR positions in international organisations across diverse industries, including retailing, healthcare, IT and engineering.

Since joining the group, John has held a number of key positions including group HR director for Norwich Union in the UK, and HR director for Norwich Union Life and Norwich Union Insurance.

John has been a key player in leading the company through a number of mergers and acquisitions, establishing strong businesses with capable leaders and engaged employees.

During his tenure at Norwich Union, John successfully focused on creating a culture of customer and employee centricity and introduced a significant shift in leadership thinking at all levels of the organisation, with a greater focus on people leadership.

Since taking up the role of group HR director, John has contributed significantly to the globalisation of Aviva and was instrumental in developing Aviva’s offshoring strategy and operations. He has also created a strong strategic focus with priorities aligned to Aviva’s ambition to put customers and employees at the heart of its business.

Professional qualifications and memberships

He is a law graduate and companion of CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Family and interests

John has one son. He enjoys music as well as rugby union and rugby league.

Latest presentations and interviews

• 17 Oct 07: Aviva US investor and analyst conference, New York

  • Interview view