THE HEAD of Aviva health in Ireland has resigned from the company. Jim Dowdall had recently been succeeded by Dermot Browne as chief executive of Aviva Ireland following his appointment as healthcare director for Aviva Europe. Mr Dowdall retained his position as managing director of Aviva’s health insurance business in Ireland.

However, he is now resigning from both positions and will leave the company on March 31st.

Mr Dowdall (48) was one of the founding directors of Vivas, the private start-up health insurer in 2004. In 2008, Vivas was acquired by Hibernian Aviva, which was subsequently rebranded as Aviva. He became head of Aviva’s healthcare business following the acquisition, then chief executive of Aviva Ireland in January 2010.

His surprise departure comes just a month after the announcement of his appointment as healthcare director for Aviva Europe. He was to maintain his position as head of the company’s healthcare division in Ireland and to remain centrally involved with developing strategy in this area.

Mr Dowdall has been strongly associated with the company’s health insurance division. While profits at Aviva Ireland’s health division have been rising, sales in its life and pension division fell by 17 per cent last year.

In January, Aviva said it was increasing its health insurance premiums by 14 per cent from March 1st following a similar move by VHI. Aviva has more than 1.2 million customers in Ireland across the general insurance, life and pensions and health insurance markets and employs more than 2,000 people.

Finance director Siobhán Fay will replace Mr Dowdall as managing director.