Former AIA chief will run the company from 1 January 2013

Mark Wilson, Aviva

Aviva has named former AIA head Mark Wilson (pictured) as its new chief executive.

He will join the insurer’s board from 1 December 2012, and take over as chief executive on 1 January 2013.

Executive chairman John McFarlane has been running the company since May, when previous chief executive Andrew Moss departed after a shareholder revolt over his pay. McFarlane will revert to non-executive chairman when Wilson takes over on 1 January.

Wilson emerged as the front-runner for the top job over the weekend, after Insurance Times revealed Aviva was considering three candidates.

Aviva chief financial officer Pat Regan was hotly tipped as the internal candidate for the position.

Wilson was previously chief executive of AIG-owned life insurer AIA, where he worked between 2006 and 2010.