During the company’s first in-person AGM since the start of the pandemic, one investor suggested that Blanc was “not the man for the job”, while another asked whether she should be “wearing trousers”.
Blanc joined Aviva in July 2020 as its first female chief executive. It has also been reported that a small investor, upon congratulating the insurer on its gender diversity, said: “They are so good at basic housekeeping activities, I’m sure this will be reflected in the direction of the board in future.”
In a LinkedIn post commenting on the meeting, Blanc said: “Sadly, just like many MANY other women in business, I’ve picked up my fair share of misogynistic scars whilst travelling on my journey through various companies and boardrooms until arriving at Aviva.
