8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 21, 2021

AMERICAN EQUITY INVESTMENT LIFE HOLDING COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Iowa	001-31911	42-1447959
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

6000 Westown Parkway

West Des Moines, IA 50266

(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

(515) 221-0002

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, par value $1	AEL	New York Stock Exchange
Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/1,000th interest in a share of 5.95% Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series A	AELPRA	New York Stock Exchange
Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/1,000th interest in a share of 6.625% Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series B	AELPRB	New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933

(§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 5.02  Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

On May 21, 2021, American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (the Company) issued a news release announcing executive officer changes substantially in the form attached as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01  Financial Statements and Exhibits

Exhibit

Number    Description

99.1    News Release Dated May 21, 2021 Announcing American Equity Investment Life Holding Company to Name New Chief Financial Officer

104    The cover page of this Current Report on Form 8-K is formatted in Inline XBRL.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	AMERICAN EQUITY
	INVESTMENT LIFE HOLDING COMPANY
Date: May 21, 2021	By:	/s/ Phyllis Zanghi
		Phyllis Zanghi
		Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

American Equity to Name New Chief Financial Officer

May 21, 2021

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE) -- May 21, 2021-- American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (NYSE: AEL) announced today that Chief Executive Officer Anant Bhalla is taking on additional responsibilities as interim Chief Financial Officer. Ted Johnson will no longer serve as Chief Financial Officer effective today and will work on an orderly transition until later in 2021, when he will exit the company. The company has launched a formal executive search for a new Chief Financial Officer by retaining executive search firm Egon Zehnder.

President and Chief Executive Officer Anant Bhalla remarked, “We thank Ted for his service and wish him well in his next opportunities. We are pleased he will remain with the company through the coming weeks to work on transition matters.”

ABOUT AMERICAN EQUITY

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, is a leading issuer of fixed index annuities through independent agents, banks and broker-dealers. American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, a New York Stock Exchange listed company (NYSE: AEL), is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. For more information, please visit www.american-equity.com.

Jennifer Bryant - Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company®

515-457-1846 | jbryant@american-equity.com

Source: American Equity Investment Life Holding Company

XML

Cover Page	May 21, 2021
Entity Information [Line Items]
Document Type	8-K
Document Period End Date	May 21, 2021
Entity Registrant Name	AMERICAN EQUITY INVESTMENT LIFE HOLDING CO
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	IA
Entity File Number	001-31911
Entity Tax Identification Number	42-1447959
Entity Address, Address Line One	6000 Westown Parkway
Entity Address, City or Town	West Des Moines
Entity Address, State or Province	IA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	50266
City Area Code	515
Local Phone Number	221-0002
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Central Index Key	0001039828
Amendment Flag	false
Common Stock
Entity Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Common stock, par value $1
Trading Symbol	AEL
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Preferred Stock, Series A
Entity Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/1,000th interest in a share of 5.95% Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series A
Trading Symbol	AELPRA
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Preferred Stock, Series B
Entity Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/1,000th interest in a share of 6.625% Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series B
Trading Symbol	AELPRB
Security Exchange Name	NYSE