Insurance giant AXA UK & Ireland has hired Caroline Riddy as general counsel, replacing Emily Coupland who left back in December.
Riddy rejoins from Lloyds Banking Group, where she was company secretary for its insurance, pensions and investment business. She previously spent 12 years at AXA UK & Ireland between 2012 and 2024.
AXA UK & Ireland is part of the AXA insurance group, one of the world’s largest insurance brands, specialising in motor, home, business and health insurance.
Henri de la Serve, chief financial officer at AXA UK & Ireland, said: “I am very pleased to welcome Caroline back to AXA UK & Ireland. With her deep understanding of our business and strategic priorities and her ability to lead strong teams and build great relationships across the business, I’m confident she will hit the ground running and quickly make a positive impact.”
Riddy arrives after a year and a half at Lloyds, which she joined from AXA in 2024. During her previous stint with the company, she was group company secretary and corporate counsel, and senior counsel before that.
She previously worked for a decade at Norton Rose Fulbright, where she was a senior associate in its corporate insurance team.
She said: “I’m thrilled to be rejoining AXA UK & Ireland, a business I care about deeply. The legal and secretariat function is full of talented individuals, and I’m very much looking forward to working with them, and reconnecting with colleagues across the organisation to deliver for our customers.”
Coupland departed AXA UK & Ireland in December after 24 years with the company to join Intact Insurance UK, where she is GC and head of compliance. Prior to joining AXA UK in 2001, she was a senior associate at Harkness Henry Lawyers in New Zealand.
During her time at AXA, she served as legal adviser, senior legal counsel, GC for its wealth business, deputy head of legal and general secretary, before being promoted to GC in 2021.
De la Serve added: “I would also like to thank Emily for 24 incredible years at AXA and wish her all the best for the future.”
In other recent finance and insurance-related moves, insurance broker Howden appointed Christopher Dalrymple as group chief legal officer in February from insurance and reinsurance business Alleghany Corporation.
And in January, financial services giant Legal & General promoted its insurance business GC Maria Alvarez-Scott to GC of the broader group, replacing 27-year veteran Geoffrey Timms.
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