UK's Saga first-half profit rises, names new CFO

Sept 30 (Reuters) - Saga Plc (LSE: SAGA.L - news) , a British travel and insurance company that focuses on customers over 50, said first-half profit rose 14.9 percent as its travel insurance and private medical insurance units performed strongly.

The company also named Bovis Homes Group Financial Director Jonathan Hill its new chief financial officer designate, saying its CFO of 14 years, Stuart Howard, would retire at the end of 2015.

Saga, which was listed on the London Stock Exchange (Other OTC: LDNXF - news) in May by its private equity owners Permira, Charterhouse and CVC (Taiwan OTC: 4744.TWO - news) , said it would meet full-year market expectations.

Pretax profit rose to 106.5 million pounds ($173.24 million) on a like-for-like basis in the six months ended July, from 92.7 million pounds a year earlier. (1 US dollar = 0.6147 British pound) (Reporting by Richa Naidu in Bangalore; Editing by Sunil Nair)