Headquarters:
Sydney, NSW
Year founded:
XL first established a presence in Australia in 1998 and is now part of AXA Group
Number of employees:
100–200 employees
Phone:
+61 2 8270 1400
Email:
ausinfo@axaxl.com
Website:
axaxl.com
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/axaxl
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Catherine Carlyon
CEO and Country Leader, Australia
Scott Jerome
Head of Brooklyn Underwriting
Julie Morgan
Head of Claims, Australia
Leadership
Appointed in July 2021 as country manager, Catherine Carlyon leads the overall insurance business and drives the company’s strategy in Australia, the third largest market by gross written premium for AXA XL’s APAC and Europe business unit.
Prior to this role, she was head of Asia-Pacific claims since 2017, responsible for all aspects of the claims organisation across the region. Previously, she was chief of staff for global claims and worked in global claim management for 11 years.
Catherine joined AXA XL in the aftermath of the 2005 Hurricanes, and one of her first responsibilities was to establish a more robust catastrophe response across the organisation, much of which still exists today.
A qualified Chartered Accountant, Catherine spent 10 years with KPMG, accounting and consulting on organisational, finance and process matters with insurance companies. During this period, she lived and worked in the UK, Australia and the US. She also helped establish AXA XL’s inclusion committee in Australia, focused on promoting an inclusive and diverse workplace.
Catherine holds a BA (Hons) in Biological Sciences from St. John’s College, Oxford. She is a beekeeper and is based in Sydney with her husband, Simon, and two children.
CEO and Country Leader, Australia
Catherine Carlyon
Scott Jerome was appointed head of Brooklyn Underwriting in 2022. Prior to this appointment, he was head of operations at AXA XL. He joined the company in January 2015, a few days after the announcement of the XL and Catlin merger.
Scott started his career in credit control and went on to hold several operational and integration roles across a number of brokers and insurers in the UK, including a Lloyd’s syndicate start-up in 2001, prior to moving to Australia. The acquisition of XL Catlin by AXA is the eighth large-scale acquisition or merger that he has been involved in during his 30-year career in insurance.
Scott’s leadership roles to date have focused on client experience, service excellence and operational transformation. He has a passion for the development of future talent and is dedicated to creating opportunities and pathways across the entire group. His involvement in the APAC Mentor and Mentee program has contributed to the personal and career success of a number of people in the company.
Head of Brooklyn Underwriting
Scott Jerome
Julie Morgan joined AXA XL in May 2024 as head of claims for Australia, leading the claims team and driving the company’s claims strategic objectives in the market and in the business.
As a part of the APAC and Europe business unit, Julie works closely with the local leaders and country manager to execute our strategy. She studied and practiced law, with her early career being in insurance litigation. She moved into corporate insurance claims over 20 years ago with international insurers, focusing initially on financial lines and property damage.
In 2018, Julie moved into working across all general insurance claims lines of business, specialising in large and complex losses, including casualty, property and specialty.
She is a big believer in knowledge sharing for the benefit of AXA XL’s clients and will be representing the company at industry and market events. She is also passionate about leading, coaching and mentoring future insurance professionals.
Head of Claims, Australia
Julie Morgan
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Leadership
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Leadership
James Shilling
Head of Property, Energy & Construction, Australia
James Shilling has managed the Australian Property team since 2016.
Prior to this, James held multiple roles, all within Property underwriting, including starting the Middle Market operations from scratch in 2011, and then building a large portfolio of Property clients in the open market. For the past eight years, James has also been responsible for the Delegated Underwriting Arrangements and Brooklyn Property portfolios, providing a diverse balance of exposure for the company.
James’ role spans underwriting, strategic planning, resource management, reinsurance purchasing and the day-to-day resolution of issues that come with managing such a large book of business and team of underwriters.
Moving from London to Sydney in 2007 provided James with a strong insight into the dynamics of both local and global wholesale markets. James previously worked for several of AXA XL’s main competitors, which also gives him an enhanced understanding of market practice and the competitive environment.
Head of Property, Energy & Construction, Australia
James Shilling
Peter Gezimati
Head of Delegated Authority,
HDI Global SE, Australia
Peter Gezimati has more than three decades of general insurance experience across three countries and has helped drive the insurer’s portfolio of agency business. One of his main current responsibilities is identifying new areas of growth. He has been a driving force in the delegated authority team within HDI Global Specialty.
Head of Delegated Authority, HDI Global SE, Australia
Peter Gezimati
As part of one of the largest global insurers, AXA XL shares the united purpose of acting for human progress by protecting what matters most. The business fosters an open, flexible and respectful culture in Australia, celebrating diversity and ensuring inclusion.
Insurance Business’ Top Insurance Employer of 2024 distinguishes itself by having the financial backing and advantages of one of the biggest commercial insurance companies globally and by providing a range of general insurance products under its AXA and Brooklyn Underwriting brands.
“It’s a very competitive market, and to succeed, we have to attract and nurture talent with a wide range of attractive and flexible benefits, training and development opportunities, and a positive culture,” says Catherine Carlyon, CEO and Country Leader for AXA XL in Australia.
Every critical function is represented in the Australian Leadership Team and every member plays a crucial role in driving the business’ Australian performance. In addition to Catherine, members of the LT include: Head of Brooklyn Underwriting Scott Jerome, Head of Claims Julie Morgan, and Head of Property, Energy and Construction James Shilling.
In 2023, the business launched several key strategic growth initiatives to capitalise on the additional investment in its Australian business, including mid-market, global clients, energy transition, niche specialty and cyber.
AXA XL’s exceptional service culture carries over into its status as an employer of choice. The business benchmarks new roles and conducts annual reviews to ensure pay equity across the organisation, adjusting for the inflation rate in team members’ countries of work.
Regarding employee development, AXA XL prioritises a wide range of online training and external courses, with individual development plans to support career aspirations.
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) are critical to the business culture, with processes and controls designed to avoid bias in recruiting and promoting. Various business resource groups of passionate individuals also promote and drive all aspects of DE&I.
“Retaining and attracting talent is key to our success, and it has been challenging in recent years in pockets, as there has been a scarcity of resources in a competitive and growing market,” says Catherine. “Rewards and benefits, culture, career progression locally and overseas, and training and development opportunities all play a part in retention.”
To maintain its top insurance employer status, AXA XL plans to accelerate actions to attract and develop the next level of female leadership in Australia, a key structural gap highlighted by this year’s WGEA pay gap publication.
“It is going to take some time to fix the imbalance, but we have committed to actions such as ensuring that we have robust succession plans in place for all our leadership positions, that includes a diverse slate and that talent reviews are also used as an opportunity to make sure we have robust development plans in place for our talented female employees,” says Catherine.
“We have also recently introduced gender-neutral parental leave and actively encourage our teams to take advantage of it. Our policies are regularly monitored and updated to accommodate our teams’ changing needs.”
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
David Lloyd
Regional Claims Manager, Asia Pacific
Daryl Vella
Regional Chief Financial Officer,
Asia Pacific
Constantine Osuchukwu
Reverend
Simon Williams
Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International
and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955
David Lloyd has over 30 years of insurance experience, starting his career in London before moving to Australia in 1992. On joining HDI in 2017, the objective was to build a market-leading team that would embrace his claims values and enhance HDI’s full market service capabilities. Working with clients and gaining their trust is what drives him.
Lloyd is recognized for his collaborative approach to claims, his strong client relationships and his ability to find solutions to any challenge.
Regional Claims Manager, Asia Pacific
David Lloyd
Daryl Vella holds a Bachelor of Economics degree with a double major in Accounting and Finance. He has been a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Australia and New Zealand, since 1997. Vella has also been a board member of the Financial Services Accountants Association and sits on the Supervisory Board of PVI Insurance Holdings in Vietnam.
He has held various finance roles within the insurance and reinsurance industry in Australia and London before joining HDI Global in 2012 as chief financial officer. Since October 2023, his responsibilities as CFO include HDI Global Specialty, Australia and HDI Global Specialty, New Zealand.
Regional Chief Financial Officer, Asia Pacific
Daryl Vella
Constantine Osuchukwu joined Lindisfarne as chaplain in 2021. Previously, he was the parish priest of St Matthew’s in Wendouree, Diocese of Ballarat, Victoria. He has a Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy and Theology), a Masters of Counselling and a Graduate Diploma in Community Development. Osuchukwu brings experience in a variety of parish roles, plus ministry work in prisons and the tertiary sector.
Reverend
Constantine Osuchukwu
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
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Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability
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Turnaround time – claims
BDM support
Broker communication, training and development
Overall service level
BDM support
BDM support
Medal
Overall service level
Broker communication, training and development
BDM support
Turnaround time – claims
Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability
Small business
Medal
Overall service level
Broker communication, training and development
BDM support
Turnaround time – claims
Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability
Small business