Claude Bébéar, founder and honorary chairman of AXA, has died at the age of 90, the insurance group announced in a statement on Tuesday.
A prominent figure in French capitalism, Claude Bébéar founded Ancienne Mutuelle de Réassurance in 1975, which became AXA ten years later. He stepped down as chairman of the management board of the insurance group in 2000, handing over to Henri de Castries, and subsequently served as chairman of the supervisory board until 2008.
Honorary chairman of AXA since 2015, Claude Bébéar was also honorary chairman of the Institut Montaigne, a think tank he created and chaired.
"On behalf of all our employees, I would like to pay tribute to the memory of Claude Bébéar and express our deep gratitude for all that he accomplished," said Thomas Buberl, CEO of AXA, as quoted in the statement.
(Written by Camille Raynaud, edited by Blandine Hénault)
