AXA UK and Ireland confirms new chief exec for UK retail arm

AXA UK and Ireland has confirmed a new chief executive for its UK retail arm – Tara Foley will join the business from 2 November, subject to regulatory approval.

Upon joining, Foley will also become a member of AXA’s UK and Ireland Management Committee; she will report to the insurer’s UK and Ireland chief executive Claudio Gienal.

Foley has worked at Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) for the past 12 years, most recently as managing director for the Bank of Scotland. During her tenure at LBG, Foley held a range of positions across the group, covering both banking and insurance. In particular, she specialised in customer experience and innovation.

Prior to LBG, Foley worked at firms such as Deutsche Bank and Accenture.

Throughout her previous positions, Foley has demonstrated a commitment to fostering diverse and inclusive workplace cultures as well as developing talent.

Foley is replacing Laurent Matras, who will be moving to AXA Asia to take on the role of chief financial officer of AXA Tianping, in China, from 1 January 2021.

Commenting on her appointment, Foley said: “I am thrilled to be taking on this new role as chief executive of AXA Retail Insurance.

“These are interesting and challenging times, not just for our business but for all our customers. I look forward to working with the team to drive strategic business growth and constantly improving the customer experience.”

AXA’s UK and Ireland chief executive Claudio Gienal added: “Tara’s depth of experience in transformational growth and operational efficiency, as well as her deep understanding of retail customer needs, will be incredibly valuable to AXA.

“We look forward to working with Tara in continuing to develop and execute our ambitious retail strategy.”