AXA XL: a new name for the world leader in large P&C commercial lines and specialty risks

This new entity will operate under the master brand AXA, and its offerings will be identified along four main lines: XL Insurance, XL Reinsurance, XL Art & Lifestyle, and XL Risk Consulting. It will position us perfectly to establish an even stronger brand leadership in the future.

Why our brand is so important to me

The choice of brand is not the choice of a name or a logo, it is much more than that, it is a short hand for a set of values, a team of people and a set of expectations for the quality of service for our customers.

The AXA brand has always been instrumental to our success as a company. Over the years, we have strived to build a single global brand that is consistent across countries and stands for the same thing everywhere. I was in Switzerland recently to celebrate the move from AXA Winterthur to the AXA brand. As a former Winterthur employee who joined the AXA family back in 2006, this brand shift was a very special moment for me.

At the heart of our strategy

The brand is at the heart of our strategy and transformation. It is our most visible asset and therefore it is a beacon for the transformation we are leading, both internally and externally.

The AXA brand drives the daily engagement of our 160,000 employees and agents across our markets. It is an unparalleled factor of pride that is celebrated within the company. I see it every time I have the opportunity to visit our teams across the world.

It is also the highest common denominator that identifies us and brings us together as one,  expressing a long history of conquest and ambition, a shared DNA and entrepreneurial spirit, and a unique culture. This is what has made AXA the the first global insurance brand.

A true business asset

Our brand is also a fantastic business asset for all our stakeholders. I measure it every day as CEO.

• It is first and foremost a promise for our 107 million customers. Since 1985, the AXA brand has been representing trust and protection. Today, our customers expect us to drive more meaningful connections in their lives, and help them prevent, deal with, and mitigate risks at any time. Our brand will increasingly reflect that ambition to move from payer of invoices to an encouraging partner, making them believe that their better life is within their reach.
• The AXA brand is also key in finding and securing new business partners and further developing our activity with corporate customers, a key pillar of our strategy. A few weeks back, we signed a multi-country partnership with Uber, bringing protection to independent drivers in Europe and beyond, with ING to develop innovative insurance solutions for their online banking customers, and with Blablacar to create a new motor insurance for the members of their ridesharing community. Everytime, I am convinced the strength of the AXA brand has played a significant role in establishing these partnerships – the same way it plays a key role when we want to attract the best talents from across the world.
• Finally, our brand conveys our engagement as a company that commits for society at large. Because health is one of key business priorities, we decided in 2015 to divest from tobacco. The same year up until the One Planet Summit last winter, We also decided to divest from coal and oil sands, stop insuring new coal projects, and invest an additional EUR 12bn in green. I am extremely proud to see how the AXA brand can also reflect our commitment to society.

AXA is a fantastic brand, and I am extremely thankful to my predecessors and for the AXA teams around the world which have made it such a vibrant expression of who we are and what we stand for. I strongly believe that it has the potential to go much further, making it the seal of trust with our customers and the symbol of the success of our payer to partner strategy.