Dubai: AXA, one of the largest global insurers, announced it has appointed Paul Adamson as chief executive officer (CEO) of AXA Gulf, replacing Cédric Charpentier who decided to leave the group after 22 years.

Subject to regulatory approval, Adamson shall start his new role with effect from 1 November 2019, according to a press release.

Paul Adamson is a Chartered Insurer and is the current managing director of AXA Cooperative in Saudi Arabia, AXA said.

Adamson, who joined AXA in 2005, has an experience of more than 30 years in the insurance industry.

Spending the last 20 years working in the Middle East region, he led the initial public offering and floatation of AXA on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul), the company indicated.

Benoît Claveranne, CEO of AXA International & New Markets, commented; “Paul enjoys an extensive knowledge of the region and this, coupled with his strong leadership capabilities, makes him the ideal candidate to take our operations in the GCC forward. He has delivered significant successes during his time in the region and I am confident that he and his team will continue to achieve great things.

“I am grateful to Cédric for his professionalism and commitment to AXA Gulf. He was a respected leader, delivering remarkable growth and implementing a series of innovative initiatives that changed the face of insurance. I wish him all the very best in his next endeavor,” Claveranne added.

Adamson is also expected to remain in charge of AXA’s operations in Saudi Arabia, the company noted.