AXA XL names chief client & distribution officer for APAC, Europe

AXA XL names chief client & distribution officer for APAC, Europe | Insurance Business Asia

Insurance News

Internal hire relocating from Singapore to Dublin

Insurance News

By
Terry Gangcuangco

Come July, Robert Riha (pictured) will serve as AXA XL’s chief client & distribution officer for Asia-Pacific and Europe.

Riha, who will be moving from Singapore to Dublin, began his insurance career in 2006, initially working in-house at RSA for Parabis Law before qualifying as a solicitor and specialising in insurance litigation with Kennedys.

The internal hire joined AXA XL in 2012 as a senior claims adjuster in London, later relocating to Singapore to lead AXA XL’s claims teams for Southeast Asia. In 2021, he was promoted to head of claims for Asia.

In his new role as chief client & distribution officer for APAC and Europe, Riha will oversee client and broker engagement while spearheading marketing efforts across the two regions. His work will involve close collaboration with local client and distribution teams.

Riha will report to APAC & Europe chief executive Xavier Veyry and global chief client officer Manuel Meier.

Commenting on the promotion, Veyry said: “We have ambitious growth plans for APAC & Europe focussed primarily on multinational and mid-market solutions. We can only achieve those plans by expanding our partnership with clients and deepening our relationships with our broker partners.

“Robbie will play an integral part in this approach by driving our broker engagement strategy and, where it makes sense, identifying new distribution opportunities.”

The CEO also cited Riha’s nearly two decades of experience in commercial risk across international markets, calling him “an ideal candidate” for the strategic position.

Meier also expressed confidence in Riha’s appointment, noting: “In addition to leading our broker strategy, Robbie will build on our existing relationships with clients in Europe, Asia, and Australia to develop a deeper understanding of their evolving needs.

“He will help us enhance our value proposition by broadening our suite of solutions, from traditional risk transfer to tech-enabled prevention services.”

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