AXA XL is recruiting a COO for its Americas insurance division

AXA XL, a subsidiary of the AXA Group, has appointed Kathleen Ziegler as Chief Operating Officer of its Americas insurance division.

In his new role, Ziegler will oversee the day-to-day operations of AXA XL’s insurance division in the Americas. His responsibilities will include leading the workplace management, middle office (underwriting operations), reporting and premium operations, and underwriting governance teams.

In addition, the COO will spearhead transformation and technology initiatives across the region. Ziegler succeeds Jérôme Itty, who will take up his role within the AXA Group in Europe this month.

With more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, Ziegler has held leadership positions at Zurich Financial Services, Marsh, American International Group, Blackboard Insurance and CopperPoint.

As Senior Vice President of Operations at CopperPoint, she recently integrated and built the company’s infrastructure following recent acquisitions. Her previous role at Blackboard Insurance involved developing broker relationships and contributing to a mid-sized commercial insurance startup.

Ziegler will report to Lucy Pilko, CEO of AXA XL Americas.

“Kathleen has a proven track record with leading insurance companies, driving operational excellence, transforming large teams and business units, and driving innovation,” Pilko said. “With our recent restructuring to better serve our clients, Kathleen’s expertise will be particularly valuable to us.”

“Kathleen will play a critical role in this transformation, providing strategic leadership and operational expertise to ensure our customer-centric approach is seamlessly integrated into every aspect of our business. With her guidance, we will continue to look for ways to improve operational efficiency, drive innovation and deliver exceptional value to our customers.”

Last month, AXA XL announced a restructuring of its insurance underwriting business in the Americas, a move aimed at grouping the business into three segments: corporate, mid-market and professional.

“After taking a hard look at our structure, we are making changes to our regional model to optimize the way we work and the way our brokers and clients work with us,” Pilko said at the time. “We are organizing with the client in mind, providing our brokers and clients with an easy point of access to all product lines.”

What do you think about this story? Share your thoughts in the comments below.