‘It’s easier to be yourself:’ Andy Briggs on how his low-ego leadership style landed him the CEO job at Phoenix Group

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Andy Briggs has spent nearly four decades in financial services—culminating in his role as CEO of Phoenix Group

, the U.K.’s largest long-term savings and retirement business.

“It’s much easier to be yourself than be something you’re not. You’re better at it, but also, I think it works well from a leadership perspective just to be authentic, normal, down to earth,” Briggs told CNBC’s Steve Sedgwick on the “Executive Decisions” podcast.

While Briggs always knew he wanted to land in general management, his career path wasn’t linear. After qualifying as an actuary, he embraced roles in sales and marketing to broaden his perspective. Along the way, he faced setbacks, including missing out on the top job at Aviva, which reinforced his commitment to purpose-driven leadership.