AXA Investment Managers adds two to ILS team

AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM), the global asset management unit of AXA Group, has announced two new hires for its insurance-linked securities (ILS)  and reinsurance linked investment and fund management team, adding a portfolio manager and an analyst.

Marc Belbenoit-Avich and Robin Chiche both join the AXA IM Insurance Linked Securities (ILS) team, which sits within the asset managers Structured Finance unit. Belbenoit-Avich takes on a Senior Portfolio Manager role, while Chiche joins as a Quantitative Analyst. Both are to be based in Paris will report to Francois Divet, Head of ILS at AXA IM.

Francois Divet, Head of ILS at AXA IM, commented on the hires; “ILS is uncorrelated with traditional asset classes and given continued market volatility we continue to see significant client demand as it provides important diversification for their portfolios. For this asset class it is important to have experts in the underlying risks.

“Marc and Robin both have strong, relevant experience in the insurance and reinsurance space – Marc spent nine years as an Underwriter, and Robin three years as a Reinsurance Actuary. Their backgrounds will support and strengthen the existing team but also bring a fresh perspective. We look forward to working closely with them to achieve our growth ambitions.”

Belbenoit-Avich joins AXA IM from reinsurance firm Swiss Re (France) where he spent nine years as a Property Treaty Underwriter. Prior to that he spent more than a year as an Actuary at Lynxial. He joins AXA IM in October 2016 and replaces Benoît Liot, who had been with the ILS team since 2014 when he joined as a Portfolio Manager.

Chiche has moved across to AXA IM’s ILS team from fellow group company AXA Global P&C where he held a role as a P&C Reinsurance Actuary for three years. Prior to that Chiche lectured at Ecole Centrale Paris on topics related to reinsurance and catastrophe models. He began his career as a Financial Engineer Intern at Société Générale. He joins the ILS team in December 2016 and will replace Brice Deplante who had been with AXA IM since 2013 as a Quantitative Analyst.

Divet added; “I would like to express my thanks to both Benoît and Brice for their respective contributions to the company over the last few years. I wish them both success for the future.”