Standard Life considers stock market flotation

Europe’s largest mutual life insurer Standard Life today said it was considering a stock market flotation.

The Edinburgh-based society said it was carrying out a strategic review in the light of fundamental changes in the industry looking at the options for changing its structure, including demutualising.

It also announced plans to raise £750m (€1,085.4m) of debt and said its chief executive Iain Lumsden was to retire and be replaced by the current chief executive of Standard Life Investments, Sandy Crombie.