Tizzio succeeds longtime AXIS president and CEO Albert Benchimol

Vincent Tizzio has today assumed the role of president and chief executive officer (CEO) of  AXIS Capital Holdings succeeding Albert Benchimol, who “transformed and refocused” the company as a specialty re/insurer during his nearly 13-year tenure as leader.

The planned transition was first announced in December 2022. Benchimol will continue to serve as a strategic advisor to the company through year end.

Tizzio first joined AXIS in January of 2022 as senior advisor – Insurance Market Strategy and future Insurance CEO, reporting directly to Benchimol. In June 2022, Tizzio was promoted to CEO specialty insurance and reinsurance, overseeing all business lines and front-end operations.

Henry Smith, chair of the AXIS board of directors, expressed gratitude to Benchimol for his leadership for close to 13 years. He said: “Under Albert’s direction, AXIS transformed and refocused as a specialty leader, cultivating a strong and vibrant workplace culture, while taking crucial steps forward in building a pathway to lasting profitable growth.”

Smith described Tizzio as “a stellar leader who brings the vision, expansive specialty underwriting knowledge, and passion needed to take our Company to the next level,” noting that Tizzio is also an excellent people leader who perfectly embodies the company’s culture and values.

Tizzio said: “I’m deeply honoured to be named President and CEO of AXIS and to have the opportunity to build on the foundation established by Albert and the team. I express my gratitude to Albert, Henry, the Board of Directors, and our colleagues worldwide for placing their trust in me. It’s my strong belief that we are only just beginning to tap into our potential as a great underwriting company that stands apart for the specialty expertise and acumen of our people, and the value that we provide to our customers. In the current dynamic market, there is a greater need than ever for the tailored specialty insurance products and services that we offer.”

Benchimol commented, “Serving as President and CEO of AXIS has been the highlight of my career. Words cannot express the gratitude that I feel towards my colleagues at AXIS, as well as to our brokers and partners, for their partnership, commitment, and friendship. I’m proud of all that we accomplished and excited for the future that stands before AXIS. In Vince we have a fantastic leader who has the vision and ability to take AXIS to even greater levels of success.”

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