Groupama Insurances appoints new Managing Director

We recently announced the appointment of Laurent Matras as Managing Director of Groupama Insurances. Laurent will join Groupama from AXA where he was Finance Director for AXA Insurance UK and AXA PPP. His appointment will take effect from 1 April 2008.

Substantial experience

Laurent brings to his new role substantial experience of the UK insurance market, having held various general management positions at AXA. Until 1999 he was a financial analyst for AXA’s Group Corporate Finance team inParis before a move to the UK as Head of Actuarial at AXA Insurance UK. He was appointed as Head of Personal Lines Underwriting in 2002 before becoming Finance Director in 2005.Laurent was a member of the Executive Committee and Management Board and was responsible for 300 people in business finance and strategy, planning, business development and mergers and acquisitions. He has a degree in economics and business from ESSEC in Paris and is also a qualified actuary.

Responsibilities

As Managing Director, Laurent will have operational responsibilities for implementation of the company’s strategic direction at Groupama Insurances and Groupama Healthcare and will play a leading role in delivering our ambitious business plans.

François-Xavier Boisseau, Chief Executive at Groupama Insurances, says: “This is a key appointment of an individual with significant leadership skills and high quality strategic insight. Laurent has great knowledge and experience of the UK insurance market and a level of expertise that will offer a valuable extra dimension to our business.”