Saga, the UK insurer providing products and services aimed at people over 50, has announced that Anand Aithal will join its board as an independent non-executive director.

Aithal has non-executive experience from fintech, insurance broking, asset management and accountancy. He also co-founded his own data analytics business, prior to which he was a managing director at Goldman Sachs.

In addition, Ian Simkins, currently the chair of luxury villa specialist The Thinking Traveller, and of the Inside Travel Group, is to become chair of Saga’s subsidiary cruise board. He brings experience from Audley Travel, where he was CEO, and has held senior positions at Tesco, TUI, British Airways and Thomson Holidays.

As well as announcing the above appointments, Saga has also confirmed that it has created a new chief data officer role, to be filled in October by Michael O’Donohue. O’Donohue joins from Camelot, operator of the National Lottery.

Sir Roger De Haan, non-executive chair of Saga, said: “I am delighted to welcome Anand, Michael and Ian to Saga. I look forward to working with them as we focus on delivering the next phase of our growth strategy. They each bring extensive and relevant experience and expertise to the Group at a time when the business is being reshaped towards a greater focus on marketing, content and distribution.”