Andy Briggs, chief executive of Phoenix Group, is the new president for the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

He takes on the role with immediate effect for the next two years and succeeds Tim Bailey at Zurich who had been the president since 2023.

Ken Norgrove, CEO, UK & International, RSA Insurance, remains the ABI’s deputy president.

Nicky Morgan, ABI chair, said Mr Briggs’ experience across the UK’s insurance and long-term savings sector “is especially pertinent at this time as we work with the industry, government and regulators to support the growth mission”.

Mr Briggs added:  “Our world-leading industry has a significant role to play right now to support economic growth, both protect customers, households and businesses across the UK, and boost the returns on their investments.

“Through the ABI, the industry is stronger together and I look forward to working even more closely with members and business leaders to achieve these goals.”

Mr Briggs was appointed group chief executive of Phoenix Group on 10 March 2020.

He has over 30 years of insurance industry leadership experience and is a qualified actuary. He was group chief executive of Friends Life, the listed insurer, managing director of Scottish Widows, chief executive of the Retirement Income division at Prudential and chairman of the ABI. He has also been a trustee of the NSPCC and chaired their Income Generation Committee.

Most recently he was CEO UK Insurance of Aviva until April 2019. He is a board member of the Association of British Insurers.

He was awarded an MBE in the 2021 New Year Honours for his personal external fundraising work for over a decade, for the NSPCC.