Canada Life has appointed Emma Watkins (pictured) as UK chief executive officer, effective fromt 1st September, subject to regulatory approval.
Watkins joins Canada Life following a decade at Scottish Widows, where she most recently served as managing director, retirement and longstanding and was a member of the executive committee.
During her time at Scottish Widows, Watkins successfully built a £6bn bulk annuity business, spearheaded the optimisation and growth of the annuity portfolio, and played a pivotal role in the modernisation and digitisation of annuities operations.
Prior to her time at Scottish Widows, she was a Partner at Lane Clark & Peacock LLP and held a number of senior roles within insurance businesses including MetLife Assurance Ltd and Ace European Group.
Watkins succeeds Lindsey Rix-Broom, who will continue to lead Canada Life UK alongside her role as CEO, Europe, Great-West Lifeco until Watkins assumes the position.
Watkins will report directly to Lindsey Rix-Broom and will also join the Great-West Lifeco European leadership team.
Rix-Broom said: “Emma brings a wealth of experience, a strong history of impactful leadership, and a clear strategic vision.
“Her deep expertise, combined with her proven ability to lead complex businesses and foster innovation, makes her the ideal person to lead Canada Life UK through its next phase of development and growth.
“I am delighted to welcome her to the business and look forward to working closely with her as we continue to deliver on our commitment to helping our customers build stronger, more financially secure futures.”
Watkins added: “I am honoured to join Canada Life and take on the responsibility of leading the UK business at such a pivotal time.
“Canada Life has achieved significant milestones under Lindsey’s leadership, driven by a clear strategy and focus on delivering value to customers, and underpinned by the company’s people-centred culture.
“I am excited to build on this momentum and look forward to working with Canada Life’s talented team to drive innovation, expand our market presence, and enhance our offering to meet the evolving needs of customers.”
