Standard Life has appointed Angela Byrne as the next chief executive officer of its pensions & savings business.
Byrne will join the organisation in January 2026 from NatWest, where she was interim CEO of the retail bank. She will be responsible for leading the next phase of its growth, reporting to Group CEO Andy Briggs. Byrne will build on the work of Colin Williams, who helped drive Phoenix Group’s pivot from a closed-book consolidator to a customer-focused, growth business.
Pensions & savings is one of the two key business units within Phoenix Group and trades under the Standard Life brand. It supports customers saving through their employer, with the help of a financial adviser or on their own through its workplace, retail intermediary and retail direct trading channels.
Byrne says: “I am delighted to be joining at such an exciting time. Phoenix serves 12 million customers and plays a crucial role in helping them plan for their future. I am looking forward to working with the team to innovate and deliver the best Phoenix offers for our customers.”
Phoenix Group CEO Andy Briggs says: “I’d like to thank Colin for his significant contribution to the business over the last five years. Under his leadership, and through the hard work of his teams, we’ve built a leading position in the Workplace market and have strong momentum in the Retail channels. Angela’s leadership experience and ability to develop modern customer propositions will be invaluable as we enter the next phase of growth and enhance the offer to our customers. 2026 will be a big year for the organisation as we transition to Standard Life Plc and I look forward to working with Angela on this new chapter for the business.”
