Legal & General Group plc has appointed Scott Wheway to succeed Sir John Kingman as chair of the company.
Wheway will join the board at the start of 2026 as an independent non-executive director and chair designate, and will take over formally as chair following the company’s AGM on 21st May 2026.
At that point, Kingman will step down as chair and as a director of the board after nine years of service.
Wheway is currently chair of Scottish Widows Group and a non-executive director at Lloyds Banking Group.
He brings a wealth of executive and non-executive leadership experience in financial services and retail businesses, including a strong understanding of operating within highly regulated, customer-facing industries.
He previously served as chair of listed Centrica between 2020 and 2024 and was chair of AXA UK plc and Aviva Insurance Limited.
His career has also included roles at Santander UK and Aviva plc.
Before his non-executive career, Wheway worked in the retail sector for over 25 years both in the UK and internationally, holding roles including CEO of Best Buy Europe, managing director of Boots and several senior executive positions at Tesco, including CEO, Japan.
Kingman has steered the London-based FTSE 100 constituent through the Covid-19 pandemic, driven expansion into international markets and oversaw growth in pension risk transfer and asset management.
He also appointed António Simões as group chief executive in 2023.
During Kingman’s tenure, L&G won Britain’s Most Admired Company in two consecutive years in 2024 and 2025, ranking top among FTSE-listed companies in the UK.
Henrietta Baldock, senior independent director, who led the chair succession process on behalf of the board, said: “After a rigorous, comprehensive and global search, I am delighted to welcome Scott to the board.
“As well as being a great fit for L&G’s culture and values, Scott brings an impressive track record of commercial success in both executive and non-executive roles across a range of industries, including in markets that are central to our growth strategy.
“On behalf of the board, I would like to thank John for his outstanding leadership and dedicated service to L&G.
“His wise counsel and stewardship of the company over the last nine years have been invaluable and I look forward to continuing to benefit from his leadership over the coming months.”
Wheway added: “It is an honour to be appointed as chair designate of L&G, one the UK’s most eminent and consequential companies.
“I look forward to working with the L&G Board, António and his wider leadership team, to accelerate the delivery of the group’s strategy and further enhance the value L&G generates for all of its stakeholders.”