British insurance company, Aviva, has appointed John Lister as chief risk officer, UK. He succeeds Craig Thornton, who became UK commercial director on Nov. 1.

Lister will take up his new role in March 2012 and will be responsible for leading the risk management and governance agenda of the UK business. He will report to new UK CEO Trevor Matthews, with an independent functional reporting line to Aviva Chief Risk Officer, Robin Spencer.

Lister joined the company as a newly qualified actuary and has worked for Aviva for 25 years. He has been chief financial officer of the UK Life business since 2009. In 2003 he was appointed with-profits actuary for all Norwich Union life companies until he became chief actuary in 2005.