The former chief executive of Direct Line Insurance Group PLC will succeed Admiral PLC Chairman Alastair Lyons on his retirement on April 26. Annette Court's possible appointment to the role emerged last month in the Sunday Times, with the paper noting her position as a non-executive director of Admiral. Court was in charge of Direct Line when it was part of Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC but left in 2007 to join Swiss insurer Zurich Insurance and has since taken a number of non-executive roles in various companies. Admiral said Court will become its non-executive chairman later next month at the company's annual general meeting. Currently Lyons serves as chairman of the group.