Greg Somerville appointed as new president, CEO of Aviva Canada

Greg Somerville, part of the Aviva’s Canadian Executive Committee since 2004, has been named Aviva Canada’s new president and CEO.

Most recently executive vice president of broker distribution, Somerville has also served as executive vice president of claims and reinsurance, responsible for the technical and strategic direction of Aviva Canada’s national claims and reinsurance operations, over his more than 20 years with the insurer.

Prior to joining Aviva Canada in 1992, he worked for State Farm and Liberty Mutual, notes a statement from Aviva Canada.

Somerville will report to Mark Wilson, group chief executive officer of Aviva plc. “Greg Somerville is a well-recognised and established executive in the Canadian property and casualty market, with strong and long-standing relationships with brokers across the Canadian market. Aviva Canada is a key strategic operation for the Group and Greg is the right leader for us at this time,” Wilson says.

“Greg will ensure a seamless management transition in the business for our employees, customers and brokers,” he adds.

“Our success as a business is built on a tireless dedication to executing the fundamentals of a general insurance company, which has and will continue to pay dividends,” Somerville comments in the statement. “I am proud to have been part of the success of Aviva Canada in the past few years and look forward to leading the business to its continued success, with the support of our employees, brokers and customers.”

This team has delivered year on year improvement in the combined operating ratio and record operating profit over the past four years, the statement adds.

In late September, Aviva Canada announced that Maurice Tulloch, CEO of Aviva Canada, had been appointed to lead the insurer’s U.K. & General Insurance business. Tulloch joined Aviva in 1992 and was appointed CEO of the Canadian business in 2009. His appointment is subject to regulatory approval.