Aviva has appointed Chris Cochrane as its latest Group Chief Information Officer, the company announced Tuesday. Cochrane, currently Group Chief Information Technology Officer at M&G plc, will take up the role in the summer of 2026, succeeding John Cummings, who is retiring.
The appointment, which is subject to approval by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), was lauded by Aviva Group Chief Executive Officer Amanda Blanc. “This is a very important appointment for Aviva,” Blanc said in a statement. “Chris is a seasoned, highly experienced CIO who brings a wealth of expertise to the company as we continue to grow and deliver for our customers and for our investors. I very much look forward to working with him.”
Cochrane’s career includes previous leadership positions as CIO of BT Global Services and CIO of Openreach Service Delivery, according to Aviva. He expressed enthusiasm for joining the insurer. “Aviva is a company I admire hugely and one which is performing strongly,” Cochrane said. “I am excited to be joining Amanda and her colleagues and playing my part in helping continue to drive the momentum which the business has across the insurance, wealth and retirement sectors.”
Prior to the announcement, Cochrane engaged in share transactions at M&G plc. According to a company filing on June 18, 2025, he purchased 57,157 ordinary shares and sold 75,328 ordinary shares. The purchases were made at prices ranging from £2.5912 to £2.5923 per share.
John Cummings will remain in his role until Cochrane’s arrival in the summer of 2026. Aviva has indicated a photograph of Cochrane is available on its Flickr account.
