(Adds detail on both appointments, links to earnings)
LONDON, March 4 (Reuters) - British insurer Legal & General said on Wednesday it had appointed a new interim chiefexecutive to run its U.S. business, on the day the groupannounced a sharp drop in 2014 profits there.
Gene Gilbertson would assume the role of interim presidentand chief executive of Legal & General America, replacing JimmyAtkins, who is leaving to pursue other interests, L&G said in astatement.
The news came after L&G announced full-year earnings showinga drop in operating profit at its U.S. unit to $93 million from$145 million, after mortality claims came in higher thanexpected.
A spokesman for L&G declined to comment on the reasons forAtkins' departure.
In a separate statement, fund arm L&G Investment Managementsaid it had appointed a new chief executive for its U.S.affiliate, Robert Moore.
Moore, most recently President of LPL Financial, will startat Legal & General Investment Management America in April, itsaid. He replaces Mike Craston, who had been CEO since 2011 andwho the firm had said in January was set to take up a new roleas vice chairman.($1 = 0.6510 British Pounds) (Reporting by Simon Jessop; Editing by Nishant Kumar)
Legal & General (LGEN)