AXA UK chairman steps down from board and associated roles

Re/insurer  AXA UK has appointed a new chairman replacing Scott Wheway who has decided to step down from the board and associated roles.

Mark Pain (pictured), non-executive director, has been approved by the board to succeed Wheway as chairman of  AXA UK from July 1, subject to regulatory approval.

Wheway was appointed as chairman of the board of  AXA UK in December 2017.

Pain joined the board as a non-executive director in December 2018 and is chairman of the risk committee and senior independent director. He is a former retail banker with extensive experience of strategy, finance, risk management and Customer service. He has nearly 25 years’ experience as a FTSE main board director, with over 10 years’ experience as a non-executive director, including seven years at Aviva UK, where he also chaired the audit committee. Pain is the senior independent director at Close Brothers Group. He is also non-executive chair of both London Square, and Empiric Student Property.

Wheway said: “It has been a real privilege to serve as Chairman of  AXA UK over the last few years. The highly capable management team here have navigated a series of external economic and geo-political challenges with great skill, prioritising the needs of customers and employees at every turn. Consequently,  AXA has delivered a strong financial performance while helping many people and businesses to deal with the challenges that they have faced. I wish Mark every success in the role of Chairman, and I know that  AXA will be in good hands as he takes over.”

Pain commented: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Scott for the huge contribution he has made as Chairman. His wise counsel and strategic expertise have supported the UK business through a period of significant change, at a time of challenging and volatile trading conditions. I am very proud to have been asked to succeed Scott and I look forward to working with the Board, the  AXA UK leadership team, and colleagues from  AXA Group, to support our continued success as we continue to put our customers’ interests at the front and centre of all we do.”

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