As announced on 3 April 2009, Aviva France, a major player in life insurance and long-term savings, asset management and non-life insurance, has restructured its organisation with the aim of achieving new levels of performance and growth and making an active contribution to the "One Aviva, twice the value" strategy in France and Europe.
As announced on 3 April 2009, Aviva France, a major player in life insurance and long-term savings, asset management and non-life insurance, has restructured its organisation with the aim of achieving new levels of performance and growth and making an active contribution to the "One Aviva, twice the value" strategy in France and Europe. The reorganisation of Aviva France took effect on 2 June.
Making a greater contribution to all dimensions of the 'One Aviva, twice the value' strategy at Aviva Europe
"One Aviva, twice the value" is an ambitious programme to transform the Aviva group, and was launched by Andrew Moss, chief executive officer, in October 2007. A major part of this programme affects the Europe region, which is under the responsibility of Andrea Moneta. Leveraging its global scale, Aviva plans to generate greater value and harness all the benefits of its size, particularly by simplifying procedures, exchanging best practices and pooling services, where that makes sense. This transformation strategy aims to deliver prosperity and peace of mind – key objectives for the group – to Aviva’s 54 million customers worldwide, and ensure that Aviva is an exemplary employer bolstered by a strong brand.
It is within this context that the reorganisation of Aviva France has been implemented, to strengthen and make full use of its expertise, particularly in the following areas:
- Enhancing its marketing capacity with a strong customer vision, a more developed brand and by stepping up its direct and online marketing activities, in close cooperation with the distribution networks;
- Continuing the ongoing adaptation of its life and non-life products to its customers’ needs, especially by strengthening the sustainable development dimension;
- Developing partnerships, particularly with AFER, banks, car manufacturers, etc, as demonstrated by the recent agreement with Union des Auto-Entrepreneurs;
- Injecting renewed energy into relations between its distribution channels and customers through the Aviva Savings & Advice network (Aviva sales teams), with its agent and broker partners, particularly VIP Conseils and Union Financière de France, in full compliance with its governance;
- Improving the quality of all aspects of its management practices, particularly with regard to corporate social responsibility;
- Sharing best practices and synergies within the Aviva Group in France;
- Continuing to seek the best risk control and financial management standards, particularly from the perspective of Solvency II.
Jean-Pierre Menanteau, CEO of Aviva France, commented: “After an intense phase of improving its profitability and efficiency, Aviva France now needs new stages of modernisation. The exceptional financial context should prompt Aviva France to tighten its risk control, enhance the responsiveness of its sales teams and adopt a clearer medium-term vision. Apart from that, Aviva France is perfectly placed to become one of the major drivers of Aviva’s development in Europe, contributing the best of its know-how to the plans to share best practices.”
New organisation and new executive committee
The new organisation of Aviva France is clearer, stronger, able to take fuller advantage of its developed expertise and aims to combine its recognised operational responsiveness with an ability to plan ahead. Alongside Jean-Pierre Menanteau and Philippe Sorret, executive director, the new Aviva France committee is made up of:
- Jean-Luc François, executive director – finance and risks, whose responsibilities have been expanded to cover operational management control and non-life reserving actuarial services;
- Aymeric Oudin, general secretary, in charge of information systems, logistics, security and procurement, whose responsibilities have been expanded to include customer service (back offices). He will also be in charge of overseeing the modernisation of the legal department between now and the end of the year and general control;
- Sylvain Rivet, in charge of the partnership with AFER, whose responsibilities have been expanded to cover the management and development of all partnerships, including bancassurance;
- Nicolas Schimel, in charge of all the distribution networks, in addition to his responsibilities as general manager of UFF;
- Laurent Thérézien has been placed in charge of marketing, customer management and direct marketing and will oversee the area of communication;
- Claude Zaouati: responsible for non-life and health products, ie commercial products and lines (private individuals, professionals, construction, agriculture), including legal protection;
- Christian Martin, accomplished in the development of life products and actuarial services, he will take on similar responsibilities at Aviva France on 15 July 2009;
- Philippe Achalme, promoted to human resources director for the entire Aviva Europe distribution network, will be in charge of HR and its reorganisation in France until 1 September this year, when Myriam Saunier, his deputy, will take over as HR director of Aviva France;
- Sylvie Bratel is taking responsibility for the area of strategy and is in charge of implementing the overhaul of methods, organisation and efficiency;
- Eric Duval de la Guierce and Jean-François Boulier: Aviva Investors France.
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Press contacts:
Estelle Joubert
Telephone: +33 (0)1 7662 5786
E-mail: estelle_joubert@aviva.fr
Fanny Bezol
Telephone: +33 (0)1 4704 1953
E-mail: fbezol@agencezap.com
Anne Perthuis
Telephone: +33 (0)1 4704 1949
E-mail: aperthuis@agencezap.com
Notes to editors:
About Aviva
Aviva is the world’s fifth-largest insurance group*, with 50 million customers throughout Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region. Aviva’s principal business activities are: life insurance and long-term savings, fund management and general insurance. At 31 December 2008, Aviva had turnover of €64.3 billion, with €393 billion of assets under management. Aviva is the largest insurer in the UK and one of the main providers of life insurance and pension products in Europe. A selection of images and all Aviva Group press releases are available in the press area www.aviva.com/media. Videos can also be downloaded from the site our video section.
With more than 180 years’ experience in France, Aviva is among the top ten players in the insurance market. Aviva France operates a balanced multi-distribution model based on a comprehensive range of products, mainly designed for individuals and SMEs. Some 900 general agents, 1,800 branch staff, 400 life insurance advisers, almost 900 wealth management advisers (Union Financière de France) and more than 1,000 active partner brokers are at the service of 3 million clients every day. Aviva has developed unique expertise in building effective partnerships for the benefit of its clients, particularly with AFER, the largest savings association in France, and the Crédit du Nord, Société Générale, Ford and Médéric groups. Specialising in unit-linked products, Aviva is recognised for the excellent performance of its long-term funds, the quality and innovation of its products, and solid commitment to its customers through its Good Advice approach. Aviva France is a socially responsible company and has developed initiatives that include reducing and neutralising its CO2 emissions, supporting more than 250 projects to help children and the elderly through the Aviva Foundation, and implementing an acclaimed diversity policy.
The Aviva Group directly employs more than 4,700 staff in France. At 31 December 2008, Aviva France reported consolidated sales of €6.0 billion and an IFRS-based net profit of €130 million. The company managed assets worth €69.6 billion at 31 December 2008.
* Based on gross worldwide premiums at 31 December 2007.