Towergate's Amanda Blanc named AXA commercial boss

AXA UK has appointed Amanda Blanc, currently deputy group CEO of Towergate, as chief executive of its commercial lines business.

The commercial unit includes AXA UK's broking unit, Bluefin Insurance Group.

Blanc will report to Paul Evans, group chief executive of AXA UK and will become a member of the firm's executive committee and board.

The announcement marks a return to AXA UK for Blanc. She was a regional director for the North at the insurer before leaving in September 2003 to become director of sales at Groupama.

"We are delighted to welcome back someone of Amanda’s considerable experience and vision to our group," Evans said in a statement. "Amanda has an impressive track record and we look forward to the dynamism she will bring to the development of our commercial lines businesses. She has a strong mandate to deliver a strategy which transforms our service to brokers, develops the strategic synergies with Bluefin, and thus achieves strong profitable growth.”

“I am very pleased to be rejoining AXA UK and to take up a fantastic and unique opportunity which will deploy my experience to the full as we build a truly outstanding and customer focused business," said Blanc.

She added: "I would like to thank both {Towergate chairman] Peter Cullum and [Towergate chief executive] Andy Homer for their superb support to me over the last 5 years and look forward to working with them in my new capacity.”