Global re/insurer AXA has announced that Etienne Bouas-Laurent will become its new Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO), taking over from Gérald Harlin who is due to retire at the end of the year.
Harlin will step down on January 1, 2020 after 29 years with AXA, including 9 years as CFO.
Bouas-Laurent, meanwhile, has spent the previous 22 years at AXA and currently serves as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AXA Hong Kong.
He joined AXA in 1997 and has since held numerous financial and operational roles throughout his career at the company.
AXA said that Bouas-Laurent is also due to join its Management Committee from September 1, 2019.
“I would like to warmly thank Gérald for his very significant contributions to AXA’s success and development over the past three decades,” said Thomas Buberl, CEO of AXA.
“During his tenure, Gérald has held major financial and operational positions ranging from Treasury to Asset Management, within AXA France as well as the Corporate Center. He has played a key role in establishing AXA as one of the world’s leading insurers,” he continued.
“In his latest position as Group Deputy CEO and CFO, he has been instrumental in developing AXA’s transformational strategy and its operational implementation during the past 3 years.”
AXA further announced that Alban de Mailly Nesle, currently Chief Risk Officer, Head of Insurance Office, and a Member of the Management Committee, will become Chief Risk and Investment Officer, taking the additional responsibility of overseeing the Group Investment Department, in addition to Group Risk Management and Ceded Reinsurance.
Additionally, Georges Desvaux, previously Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, has been appointed as Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer and will join AXA’s Management Committee as of September 1.
Finally, Karima Silvent, Chief Human Resources Officer, is also set to join the Management Committee on September 1.
“The Management Committee is looking forward to start working with the new members of the team, who demonstrate the quality and the depth of AXA’s leadership teams, as well as our ability to attract the best international talents,” said Buberl.
“I wish Etienne, Alban, Georges and Karima all the best in their new roles to accelerate the implementation of our Ambition 2020, as well as the preparation of our next strategic plan,” he added.
Alongside Harlin, Buberl and the new appointments, from September the AXA Management Committee will consist of: George Stansfield, Deputy CEO and General Secretary; Benoît Claveranne, CEO International and New Markets; Greg Hendrick, CEO of AXA XL; Antimo Perretta, CEO for Europe; Jacques de Peretti, Chairman and CEO of AXA France; Astrid Stange, Chief Operating Officer; and Gordon Watson, CEO for Asia.
