Re Directorate

CGNU PLC
24 January 2001


CGNU ANNOUNCES BOARD CHANGES

CGNU, the UK's largest insurance group, today announced that Richard Harvey,
currently deputy group chief executive and group chief executive designate,
will become group chief executive on 24 April 2001.  He will succeed Bob
Scott, group chief executive, who will retire from the board at the company's
AGM on that date.  This planned succession is consistent with the statement
made on 21 February 2000 when the boards of CGU and Norwich Union announced
the merger of the two companies.

Mike Biggs, CGNU's group executive director with responsibility for UK general
insurance, is appointed group finance director from 31 March 2001 when Peter
Foster, currently group finance director, retires from the board.

Patrick Snowball, currently managing director of the UK general insurance
business, is appointed group executive director with responsibility for UK
general insurance and will join the board on 31 March 2001.

Lyndon Bolton, a non-executive director of CGNU, will retire on 24 April 2001
at the close of the company's AGM.  He joined the board of General Accident as
a non-executive director in 1982 and was appointed a non-executive director of
CGNU when Norwich Union and CGU merged.

Commenting today, CGNU chairman, Pehr Gyllenhammar, said:
'Richard Harvey's appointment as group chief executive follows from the
arrangements that were made at the time of the merger.  The integration has
progressed well and it is timely for us to shape the executive team which,
under Richard's leadership, can take CGNU on to the next stage in its
development as a world class financial services provider.

'During his long and distinguished career, Bob Scott has made an outstanding
contribution to the development of the company that is now CGNU and to the
financial services industry.  Peter Foster has played a key role in overseeing
the group's financial affairs during his 37 years' service with the company. 
Our thanks go to them both, together with our good wishes for a happy and
rewarding retirement.' 


Enquiries:       

Analysts/investors:
Steve Riley, Investor Relations Director              Tel: [phone]

Media:
Alex Child-Villiers, Financial Dynamics               Tel: [phone]

Notes to editors:

CGNU plc is the UK's largest insurance group and the world's sixth largest
insurer based on gross worldwide premiums.  The group was created from the
merger of CGU and Norwich Union on 30 May 2000.

Biographies:

Richard Harvey BSc FIA (50)
Appointed Director of The Norwich Union Life Insurance Society in January 1995
and of Norwich Union in 1997.  Joined Norwich Union in 1992 in New Zealand,
appointed general Manager (Finance) in July 1993.  Appointed Actuary in 1994,
Group Finance Director in July 1995, Deputy Group Chief Executive in January
1997 and Group Chief Executive in January 1998.  Appointed Deputy Group Chief
Executive and Group Chief Executive Designate of CGNU in May 2000 when Norwich
Union and CGU merged.

Michael Biggs MA ACA (48)
Appointed Director of The Norwich Union Life Insurance Society in January 1996
and of Norwich Union plc in March 1997.  Joined Norwich Union in 1991. 
Appointed General Manager (Europe & International) in January 1995, Group
Director of International Operations in October 1996, and Group Finance
Director in October 1997.  Appointed Group Executive Director with
responsibility for UK general insurance at CGNU in May 2000 when Norwich Union
and CGU merged.



Patrick Snowball MA psc (50)
Appointed Director of Norwich Union plc in October 1999.  Joined Norwich Union
upon the acquisition of Ajax Holdings Limited in 1989.  Appointed Managing
Director (General Insurances - Intermediaries) in 1996 and Chief Executive, UK
General Insurance in October 1999.  Appointed Managing Director of CGNU's UK
General Insurance business in May 2000 when Norwich Union and CGU merged.

Bob Scott AIINZ AAII (59)
Joined the company now known as CGNU in New Zealand in 1959.  Appointed a
Director of General Accident (GA) in 1992 and Group Chief Executive of GA in
1996.  Appointed Group Chief Executive of CGU in 1998 when GA and Commercial
Union (CU) merged.  Became Group Chief Executive of CGNU in May 2000 when
Norwich Union and CGU merged.  Currently, Chairman of the board of the
Association of British Insurers, Chairman of the British Nuclear Insurers
Association, a member of the President's Committee of the Confederation of
British Industry, the Takeover Panel and Business in the Environment.

Peter Foster FCCA (54)
Joined Commercial Union in 1963 and appointed Finance Director in 1994 with
responsibilities including finance, taxation and business risk.  Appointed
Finance Director of CGU in June 1998 when GA and CU merged.  Appointed Group
Finance Director of CGNU in May 2000 when Norwich Union and CGU merged.