Direct Line is said to have approached one of Aviva’s top managers to be its next chief executive.

The motor and home insurer has put Adam Winslow, the CEO of Aviva UK & Ireland General Insurance, top of its list of candidates, according to Sky News.

Mr Winslow joined Aviva in January 2021 to be CEO of International.

Direct Line has been searching for a successor to Penny James who stepped down suddenly in January following a sharp decline in its value over the past year and erosion of its balance sheet.

The company had issued a profit warning and scrapped its final dividend for 2022 because of a big increase in weather-related claims that pushed it into a loss on underwriting.

Chief Commercial Officer Jonathan Greenwood was appointed as acting CEO.