Aviva targeted for savings by the same activist shareholder that put squeeze on CRH  

Cevian is pressing the British-Irish insurance giant for cost savings to enable more payouts to shareholders

Aviva employs almost 1,000 people in the Republic.  Picture: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

Shares in Aviva rose after activist shareholder Cevian revealed it had built a stake of 5%, saying it is pressing the British-Irish insurance giant for cost savings to enable more payouts to shareholders. 

Stockholm-based Cevian is Europe's largest shareholder-activist firm which targets large companies it believes could do much better and get them to return more to shareholders.