US insurance giant AIG, under pressure from activist investors, announced Monday it named a former lieutenant to former chief executive Maurice "Hank" Greenberg as its chief executive. Brian Duperreault, 70, will immediately take the top spot at AIG, which announced in March the departure of chief executive Peter Hancock, who faced calls from activists Carl Icahn and John Paulson to break up the insurer.

Duperreault worked at AIG for 21 years at the start of his career "so he knows this company well," said chairman Douglas Steenland in a statement. "He is a hands-on leader who has consistently delivered strong bottom-line results." Known as an expert in restructuring, Duperreault worked previously for ACE Group and Marsh & McLennan before leading Bermuda-based Hamilton Insurance Group. He resigned from Hamilton, AIG said.

Duperreault said Monday he had no plans to break up AIG, according to Bloomberg News.

"I didn't come here to break the company up. I came here to grow it," Duperreault said. "Capital will also be deployed to expand and grow our businesses with the goal of building long-term shareholder value." Icahn on Twitter did not refer explicitly Duperreault, but praised the board for responding to activists.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2017