Deepal to bid farewell to Eagle in June after 20 years

Eagle Insurance PLC, Aviva Plc UK’s Sri Lankan operation announced today that Eagle Insurance PLC Managing Director Deepal Sooriyaarachchi will be leaving the company after 20 years of dedicated service, to pursue other career and personal aspirations.

Subject to necessary local procedural and regulatory requirements being satisfied, the present CEO of Aviva Romania and Chief Distribution Officer of Central and Eastern Europe for Aviva, Shah Rouf will succeed Sooriyaarachchi.

Shah, a British national, has over 16 years of experience within the Aviva Group and has held leadership positions in both life and general insurance in Aviva’s operations in the UK, India, Middle East and Europe. Shah concluded his academic studies at the London School of Economics and has BA (Hons) and MSc degrees in Economics.

He is also an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute and a member of the LIMRA European Executive Committee.

Commenting on his decision, Sooriyaarachchi said “2010 marks a significant year in my career as I complete 30 years of work life out of which 20 years have been spent at Eagle.

My career at Eagle will always be a cherished experience but the time has come for me to embark on my professional aspirations in marketing and academia.

I have the total confidence that Shah, the local leadership and the team are competent and committed to take the Company forward in its next phase of growth. I am and will continue to be one of Eagle’s strongest supporters”.

Eagle Chairman Bill Lisle, said “I deeply appreciate Deepal’s invaluable leadership and contribution to the company during his 20 year tenure and wish him the very best in his future career goals. Eagle Sri Lanka is about to embark on a major transformational drive to achieve a step change in its corporate positioning in the Sri Lankan market.

I endorse Deepal’s view that the leadership and the team are ready and motivated to steer the company towards this position. I am confident Shah with his successful experiences in driving organizational transformational changes within the Aviva Group will add to the leadership capabilities required to facilitate this change”. In February 2006, the Aviva Group acquired a majority stake in Eagle Insurance.