Two posters on the wall for any decoration

On the 24th floor of a building in Singapore, her Office seems very modest. Almost nun. Barely a dozen square metres. A round table and two chairs. Two posters on the wall for any decoration. Hard to believe that Philippe Donnet is a man with at AXA. "If the question of the succession to Henri de Castries to arise one day, it is certainly one of those who one would think", but says a good connoisseur of the group. Among the 13 members of the Executive Committee, it is the oldest of the company, but also one of the youngest. A forty-six years, he has to be appointed to the head of all the Asia-Pacific region, a "gold mine" in his own words.

Spotted at Polytechnique by Claude Bébéar, Philippe Donnet joined the French in 1985 insurer, just before the latter takes the name of AXA. He then made its lines in construction insurance and benefits for an aggregation of actuarial science. Follows a very varied and international journey that reflects both its penchant for foreign cultures and talent certain to succeed the most delicate missions. Or in Normandy, in the Pyrenees at the head of the salaried commercial network. In the Canada, Italy or the Japan. And yet when he takes the reins of the Group reinsurance activities, destabilized by the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Almost every time, should refocus, restructure or tensions. This is sometimes at the cost of painful decisions leaders replacement and reduction of staff. But he has always successfully carry membership. "He has a great sense of listening and attention." "Despite the diversity of experiences, he also kept a form of permanent curiosity which is one of its strengths", explains his friend Yves Masson, came the same day as him in AXA, and today CEO of AXA Assistance.

Rugby fan

Described as "epicurean" by his family, Philippe Donnet like hunt the awesome in the Pyrenees or fishing fly in New Zealand. He is also a big fan of rugby, former of the PUC, which today supports the Perpignan club. This former pillar also likes to put forward "the values of combat and solidarity of rugby". One day, he had the idea to invite Fabien Galthié to animate a seminar for managers of AXA Re. A match was held at which men and women were involved. "It was a unifying and founder of the relief of AXA Re event" he recalled. Rugby, it suffers together and we win together.

The head of the Asia-Pacific, Philippe Donnet is not, for once, to restore a compromised situation. It is for him "the opportunity to focus on the growth and development". A key, there will be likely to conduct acquisitions. The principal on which he worked, that of the American Farmers, dates back to 1990. And it had been. Jimmy Goldsmith, allied with AXA, had indeed failed in its hostile raid on BAT, then owner of Farmers. In Asia, where markets are booming, Philippe Donnet should not put much time before to conclude one.