AXA hires e-trading and two regional branch directors

AXA commercial lines and personal intermediary has created three new roles to support the growth of its regional branches and e-traded offering.

It has hired Hiscox’s head of direct commercial Deepak Soni as director of e-trading, promoted Linda Courtney to regional branch director for the South, and will appoint a regional branch director for the north in the New Year.

Courtney, currently branch manager for Reading and Maidstone, will take up her new role on 2 January, and continue to manage those branches until AXA has appointed her replacement.

Soni will join on 23 February after eight years at Hiscox.

AXA said his appointment would give its broker e-traded business dedicated, senior resource as it prepares to launch is small commercial combined and mini-fleet products.

The insurer also plans to launch a broker claims trading tool, E-serve, and introduce data enrichment to commercial risks next year.

The managers of AXA’s 12 branches will report into the regional branch directors instead of commercial intermediary managing director Jon Walker.

AXA’s branch network has nearly doubled from 7 to 12 since the commercial intermediary managing director role was created four years ago.

Walker said: “The creation of these new roles is vital to the successful execution of our strategic growth plans for 2015 and beyond, particularly the move into mid-market risks.

“By bringing in dedicated, expert resource for our broker e-trading offering, this part of the business can now develop at an accelerated pace, ensuring we place ourselves at the forefront of the online commercial market.

“This is turn will allow our branches to place a greater emphasis on the mid-market and spend the time necessary to underwrite and service the larger risks we are targeting.

“As the branch network continues to grow and increases in sophistication, it requires more local leadership and the two new director-level branch network roles will provide that.