Former MS Amlin COO moves to Aspen

Bermuda-headquartered Aspen Insurance Holdings has appointed Rob Houghton as group chief operating officer (COO). Based in London, Houghton will start in January and succeeds Mike Cain. He will also be on the group’s executive committee.

Houghton joins from MS Amlin, where he held the same position before becoming CEO for Amlin Business Services in September 2020. Before that, he was group chief operating officer for the Post Office and spent almost 14 years with Aviva in various roles, including CIO for Aviva UK Life. He continues to serve as a non executive director for NHS Supply Chain, which manages sourcing, delivery and supply for NHS trusts.

Mark Cloutier, Aspen executive chairman and group chief executive officer, welcomed Houghton’s appointment.

“We are delighted to have appointed Rob to succeed Mike as Group COO. In addition to strong expertise in managing operations and IT within the insurance sector, Rob has a proven track record in supporting and delivering change management projects, which will be highly relevant as we continue to drive positive, long-term, transformation at Aspen,” he said.

“At the same time, we’re pleased Mike is continuing with us until February to ensure a smooth handover. Mike has made a significant contribution to our business and been an invaluable source of advice and counsel, and we wish him the very best in his future endeavours.”