Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of Aviva plc, has appointed Heather Brown as head of Europe, Middle East and Africa (Emea), institutional client relationship management.
This appointment is a step in Aviva Investors’ ambition to become “the go-to Long Term Asset Funds (LTAFs) provider for the UK’s DC and wealth markets.”
Previously leading the UK institutional sales team, Heather will now report to Steven Gardner, head of Institutional, Emea, who joined Aviva Investors in May 2024.
In her new role, Heather will focus on enhancing relationships and service with Aviva Investors’ institutional clients. Having joined the company in 2018, she has experience in business development for UK pension schemes and advising defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) pension clients on strategic asset allocation and manager selection. Heather has also served as a trustee director for the Aviva Staff Pension scheme.
Heather’s appointment aligns with Aviva Investors’ efforts to expand its institutional business across private and public market strategies, including improving institutional access to private market investments through its long term asset funds (LTAFs).
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Recent developments include the launch of the Multi-Sector Private Debt LTAF in November 2024, following the Real Estate Active LTAF in May and the Climate Transition Real Asset Fund’s LTAF conversion in March. Aviva Investors aims to be the UK’s leading LTAF provider for DC and Wealth markets.
The process to appoint a new head of UK institutional to succeed Heather is currently underway.
Gardner said: “Client service and relationship management is vital in understanding how we can help institutional investors navigate market challenges and support them in reaching their long-term investment objectives. We view it as a critically important component of Aviva Investors’ overall offering and fundamental to our future success.
I am therefore thrilled to have Heather lead our efforts in this regard with her deep understanding of the needs of institutional clients and their advisors making her the stand-out candidate for the role, as we continue to prioritise servicing for our existing clients whilst strengthening our Distribution capabilities and supporting our growth objectives.”
