UK's Aberdeen names ex-Sampo CEO Magnusson as next chair

Sept 9 (Reuters) - British asset manager Aberdeen on Wednesday named Torbjörn Magnusson, the former chief executive of Nordic insurance giant Sampo, as its chair-designate and non-executive director.

Here are some more details:

• The appointment comes roughly six months after Douglas Flint announced his decision to step down as chair by Aberdeen's annual general meeting in April.

• Magnusson retired as CEO of Sampo Group, where he stepped down in October 2025 after nearly six years at the helm, during which he led the group's strategic transformation and the £1.7 billion ($2.3 billion) acquisition of UK digital insurer Hastings Group in 2021.

• He also served as the chair of Nordea Bank, where he represented Sampo as the bank's largest shareholder through a period of significant strategic and operational change.

• Magnusson will formally take over as chair following relevant regulatory approvals, at which point interim chair Jonathan Asquith will step down from the role.

($1 = 0.7379 pounds)

(Reporting by Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala)