Aviva names Fazzini-Jones as group COO

By Rebecca Delaney

Feb 10 - (The Insurer) - UK insurer Aviva has appointed Craig Fazzini-Jones as group COO, effective 1 March.

As a member of Aviva's group executive committee, in his new role Fazzini-Jones will be responsible for overseeing Aviva’s transformation delivery, as well as procurement, corporate services and property across the group.

He will report to Aviva group CEO Amanda Blanc.

Fazzini-Jones currently serves as COO in Aviva’s insurance, wealth and retirement business, where he is responsible for customer service, operations, outsourcing and change delivery teams.

Prior to assuming the role in 2021, he was COO at Canada Life UK and also spent 13 years at Retirement Advantage, latterly as group CEO.

Commenting on the appointment, Blanc said: “I am confident Craig will bring energy and passion to this important role which supports the acceleration of Aviva's performance."

Earlier this month, Aviva announced that it had expanded its Lloyd’s offering through newly-acquired Probitas 1492 with the addition of two new classes of business: political violence and terrorism, and accident and health.

In another mark of the firm's expansive M&A strategy, a London Stock Exchange announcement on 23 December 2024 revealed that the boards of Aviva and Direct Line Group had reached an agreement on the terms of a recommended cash-and-share offer that valued the latter’s entire diluted share capital at ~£3.7bn.

As previously reported, Aviva shareholders will own ~87.5 percent of DLG shares upon completion of the acquisition.