Aegon N.V. today announced that Johan van der Werf will step down as Chief Executive Officer of Aegon The Netherlands, effective January 21, 2008.
Mr. van der Werf (55), who also serves on the Management Board of Aegon N.V., has led the Dutch organization since 2002 and has worked for Aegon and its predecessors since 1982. Mr. van der Werf will serve as an advisor to the Executive Board for the remainder of the year. Pending the Executive Board's selection of Mr. van der Werf's successor, the Management Board of Aegon The Netherlands will report to Jos Streppel1), Chief Financial Officer of Aegon N.V.
Mr. van der Werf stated: "These past 26 years with Aegon have been extremely gratifying. I am proud of the work we have accomplished to create a more efficient organization and increase customer satisfaction, while positioning Aegon The Netherlands for future growth. I wish to thank my colleagues and our dedicated employees who have enabled us to achieve the progress we have made in recent years. While the decision to leave Aegon has been difficult for me personally, I have every confidence that Aegon The Netherlands will secure an even stronger position in the years ahead."
"We thank Johan for his many years of leadership and commitment to Aegon," said Chairman of the Executive Board Donald J. Shepard. "In recent years, he has played a key role in improving our Dutch operations and increasing customer service levels in what continues to be a challenging market environment. We will build on this progress to further strengthen the position of Aegon The Netherlands in the years ahead. We wish Johan every success in his new pursuits. In the meantime, we are confident that our capable and experienced management team of Aegon The Netherlands will successfully oversee the day-to-day operations of our Dutch business."
