The Supervisory Board of Aegon has announced its intention to propose the appointment of Lard Friese as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Shareholders, succeeding Alex Wynaendts.
Friese will rejoin the firm as CEO-designate effective March 1st, 2020 and will succeed Wynaendts at the AGM to be held on May 15th, 2020.
After working at Aegon from 1993 to 2003, Friese rejoins the firm from NN Group, where he is currently CEO. He brings nearly three decades of industry experience to the role, and his appointment has been approved by the firm’s regulators and positively advised upon by the company’s works council.
“We are very pleased to announce our intention to appoint Lard as Aegon’s new Chief Executive Officer after a thorough selection process from a strong bench of candidates. Lard is an outstanding leader with a proven track record and extensive experience in the insurance sector, including ten years at Aegon. He has led a wide range of businesses and inspired teams to achieve market‑leading positions.
“Following 11 years under Alex’s leadership, in which the company has undergone a successful strategic and financial transformation, we started a succession process in November last year. The company is now optimally positioned for the next phase of development, and Lard’s intended appointment is a natural next step in building a sustainably growing and profitable business.
“The Supervisory Board is very grateful for Alex’s continued leadership and expresses its gratitude for his commitment and enormous contribution to Aegon over more than two decades,” said Chairman of the Supervisory Board, William Connelly.
Wynaendts joined Aegon in 1997 and became a member of the firm’s Executive Board in 2003. He was appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) in 2007 and then CEO and Chairman of Aegon’s Executive Board in 2008.
Wynaendts said: “It has been a great privilege to lead Aegon during these past 11 years and to work with so many dedicated colleagues around the world to help our nearly 30 million customers secure their financial futures. I am very proud that we have successfully transformed Aegon and the company is now well positioned to realize its full potential. This creates a natural moment for me to hand over to my successor, who I welcome back to Aegon. I look forward to working together with my colleagues on executing on our strategic agenda until our AGM in 2020.”
Wynaendts will work closely with Friese from March onwards to ensure a seamless leadership transition, and will be available as an advisor to the firm until September 30th, 2020.
Commenting on his appointment, Friese said: “I am delighted to be joining Aegon as the next Chief Executive Officer at an exciting time for the business. Aegon has a long history of innovation, developing valued-added products and services for its customers, and well-known brands which provide financial security for people across the globe. I look forward to working together with the management team to fully capitalize on the company’s opportunities.”
