Gross written premium (1999):
Gross written premium (1999):
£5,779m
Year company established:
2000
UK head office:
St Helens
I Undershaft
London
EC3P 3DQ
tel: 020 7283 2000
website:
www.norwichunion.co.uk
Company history:
CGU and Norwich Union merged on
May 30, 2000, to create CGNU – the world's sixth-largest insurer, the UK's largest insurer, the UK's largest insurance group and one of the top five life insurers in Europe, with substantial positions in other markets around the world.
CGNU's principal business activities are long-term savings, general insurance and asset management. It has worldwide premium income and retail investment sales of £26bn and assets under management of more than £200bn.
From October the combined life and pensions, general insurance and retail fund businesses in the UK will operate under the Norwich Union brand, while the institutional business will operate under the Morley Fund Management brand
Chief officer:
Mike Biggs, group chief executive, UK general insurance
Biography:
With more than 25 years' experience in the financial markets, Mike Biggs joined Norwich Union as its first group financial controller in 1991 after working in various roles for Arthur Andersen (in the UK and Canada), the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and the Morgan Grenfell Group.
Within the Norwich Union Group he was appointed general manager (Europe and international) in 1995, group director (international) in 1996 and group finance director in 1997
UK branch offices:
52
UK staff:
18,500
UK general insurance agents:
12,000
UK general insurance “club style” agents:
750
Direct arm:
Norwich Union Direct (NUD)
Main classes of business:
motor, commercial motor, homeowner, commercial property, creditor, liability, London market and health
Key general insurance personnel:
Ken Wallace, intermediary business director
Alex Robinson, IT director
Igat Mayer, finance director
Cathryn Riley, operations director
Derek Plummer, corporate partnerships director
Bryan Jenkins, retail business director
Bridget McIntyre, marketing and underwriting director
Simon Machett, claims director
Clive Watson, London markets director
James Duffell, head of public relations
