GWP: £3.3bn

Management

Current ABI chairman Paul Evans continues to run the AXA UK group,

which comprises AXA’s non-life, life and health business.

From 1 January 2016, the UK general insurance business will be run entirely by Amanda Blanc after she takes over the only remaining part of the GI business not under her control – direct personal lines – from current head Yves Masson.

Blanc, previously deputy chief executive at Towergate, joined AXA at the beginning

of 2011 to run the commercial business and has been gradually handed more.

Blanc has surrounded herself with a close-knit top team that includes underwriting head David Williams, claims boss Chris Voller, commercial intermediary head Jon Walker, commercial direct head Darrell Sansom and personal lines intermediary head Laurent Matras.

Strategy

AXA’s UK commercial lines and personal intermediary business – Blanc’s domain until direct personal lines comes into the fold next year – is targeting a 95% combined operating ratio by 2020 and is likely to be writing roughly £2bn of gross written premium by then – although this is not a set target.

Blanc wants all the units under her command to grow, but insists this must

not be at the expense of underwriting profitability. Particular areas of focus for AXA are mid-market commercial and e-traded commercial. To boost its presence in the mid-market, AXA has set up a new broker club called Premier Partners.

The company also continues to be a strong voice in the fight to make insurance easier for its customers to understand, particularly when it comes to claims.