20 Facts About Amanda Blanc

Dame Amanda Jayne Blanc was born on 8 August 1967 and is a Welsh businesswoman who has been the group chief executive officer of Aviva since July 2020.

Amanda Blanc was born and brought up in Treherbert, Rhondda, Wales.

Amanda Blanc studied Modern History at the University of Liverpool and later graduated from the University of Leeds with an MBA, and Chartered Insurer.

Amanda Blanc went on to become a fleet and casualty underwriter, then an area development manager and the youngest and first woman to work as a Commercial Union branch manager.

Amanda Blanc left Commercial Union in 1999 for EY and soon after joined Axa for the first time as Regional Director.

Amanda Blanc joined Axa in February 2011 to lead the commercial division, at a time when it was rumoured that the UK business was to be put up for sale by its French parent company.

Amanda Blanc was announced as CEO for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Zurich in April 2018.

Amanda Blanc was required to step down as chair of the ABI as protocol dictates that only a sitting insurance CEO can hold the role.

Amanda Blanc was the first woman to chair the ABI, and was previously chair of the ABI General Insurance committee.

Amanda Blanc was the first woman to chair the Insurance Fraud Bureau and served as president of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

On 17 March 2021, Amanda Blanc was appointed HM Treasury's Women in Finance Champion, succeeding Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia.

On 11 November 2021, Amanda Blanc joined the Geneva Association as a new board member, one of only two women on the board of directors of the insurance industry think tank.

On 1 September 2022, Amanda Blanc joined the board of energy company BP as a non-executive director, and in April 2024 was appointed senior independent director at BP plc and is a member of the BP plc Remuneration Committee and People and Governance Committee.

Amanda Blanc was named Woman of Achievement in 2008 by Women in the City.

Amanda Blanc has been named in the Financial Times' 25 most influential women of 2022.

Amanda Blanc was ranked 33rd on Fortune's list of Most Powerful Women in 2023.

Amanda Blanc was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to business, gender equality and net-zero.

Amanda Blanc is an accomplished piano player and when growing up her ambition was to be a professional musician.

Amanda Blanc was a guest on the long running BBC Radio 4 series Desert Island Discs, hosted by Lauren Laverne in March 2023.

Amanda Blanc represents Aviva as WWF's lead strategic partner in the insurance and pensions sector in both the UK and Canada.