CHARLES Monaghan has been appointed chairman of Scottish Equitable in succession to Hamish Inglis, who oversaw the company's phased takeover by the Dutch

financial group Aegon.

Monaghan, 57, is a senior executive of Unilever, who has been on the Scottish Equitable board for three years.

Inglis became chairman since in 1993, when Scottish Equitable gave up its mutual status and Aegon began a creeping takeover of the

Edinburgh-based life office. This will be completed at the end of this year.

Aegon has progressively acquired the rights to 100% of Scottish Equitable's profits in return for a series of capital injections totalling #721m.

Inglis, 67, retains his seat on the Scottish Equitable board.