Head of Tech & AI - Risk Advisory and Global Chief Underwriting Office

AXA XL’s Head of Technology & AI, Risk Advisory and Global Chief Underwriting Office (GCUO) is a key senior executive leadership role in the Technology & AI function, accountable for acting as the strategic technology and AI partner to deliver for Risk Advisory and GCUO, in cooperation with the Tech & AI organization.

About the role

This leader shapes demand, challenges priorities, drives decision-making, and ensures delivery accountability within the Technology & AI function for Risk Advisory and GCUO. Operating as a trusted executive peer, balancing innovation with value, risk, regulatory requirements, and operational resilience, this role reports to AXA XL’s Chief Technology & AI Officer with a dotted line to Chief Executive Officer, Risk Advisory.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary technology and AI partner to the Risk Advisory and GCUO shaping business direction through technology-led opportunities.
• Provide insights on AI disruption, competitor landscape, and modern digital and AI business models relevant to insurance.
• Translate complex technology concepts into commercial and operational implications for executive decision-making.
• Convert business strategy into a prioritized and funded technology and AI roadmap.
• Define the sequencing of initiatives based on value, feasibility, regulatory constraints, and delivery capacity.
• Ensure roadmaps integrate digital, data, AI, automation, and core platform modernization.
• Drive robust partnerships within the Tech & AI leadership team to ensure common principles, frameworks, and guidelines are deployed and executed with effective coordination across all disciplines in the function.
• Represent Risk Advisory and GCUO’s needs into enterprise technology investment forums.
• Own business unit-level investment cases, ensuring clarity of ROI, outcomes, and measurable benefits.
• Challenge the business on value definition and ensure initiatives meet enterprise architecture, security, and AI governance requirements.
• Own the technology and AI portfolio for Risk Advisory and GCUO, ensuring delivery performance, dependencies, and risks are actively managed.
• Hold delivery teams accountable for execution outcomes while ensuring the business fulfils its accountabilities (SMEs, process change, adoption).
• Provide clear reporting to Global Leadership Team partner(s) on delivery confidence, risks, financial position, and benefits tracking.
• Challenge and influence senior stakeholders with poise and composure, facilitating decision-making forums, resolving prioritization conflicts, and driving outcomes.
• Build alignment across business functions including underwriting, claims, pricing, finance, customer operations, and distribution.
• Drive enterprise AI adoption within Risk Advisory and GCUO, ensuring:
  • high-value use cases are identified
  • adoption and operating model impacts are planned
  • workforce readiness is supported
  • human-in-the-loop and control frameworks are implemented
• Ensure AI is embedded into workflows rather than delivered as standalone tools.
• Partner with Risk, Compliance, Legal, and Security to ensure delivery aligns to regulatory and control requirements.
• Ensure AI initiatives comply with Responsible AI, privacy, and model risk expectations.
• Ensure technology resilience and service continuity risks are visible and actively managed.
• Partner with Procurement and Technology leadership to shape vendor strategy aligned to business unit priorities.
• Support contract negotiations, supplier performance management, and strategic partnerships.
• Ensure commercial outcomes align to delivery outcomes and service performance.

Requirements

• Commercial Acumen: Keen understanding of business strategy, financial drivers, and operational performance levers. Able to challenge executives constructively and influence investment decisions.
• Technology & AI Leadership: Keen understanding of enterprise technology including:
  • product engineering and agile delivery
  • cloud platforms and modern architecture
  • data platforms and AI enablement
  • automation and workflow transformation
  Outstanding ability to evaluate AI opportunities pragmatically (value, feasibility, risk).
• Delivery & Portfolio Discipline: Excellent portfolio and program oversight capability. Ability to balance competing priorities, resource constraints, and dependencies. Robust governance, reporting, and delivery confidence management.
• Risk & Regulatory Mindset (Insurance Context): Keen understanding of regulated environments and technology control frameworks. Awareness of Responsible AI, data privacy, and model risk management principles.
• Relationship Management & Leadership: Ability to build deep trust across business and technology. Robust conflict resolution skills and ability to drive alignment across competing agendas.

Benefits

• Inclusion:
  • Five Business Resource Groups focused on gender, LGBTQ+, ethnicity and origins, disability, and inclusion with 20 Chapters around the globe.
  • Robust support for Flexible Working Arrangements.
  • Enhanced family-friendly leave benefits.
• Total Rewards: Competitive compensation and personalized, inclusive benefits covering health, wellbeing, lifestyle, and financial security, including:
  • Competitive retirement savings plan.
  • Health and wellness programs.
  • Wide range of learning opportunities to hone professional skills.
• Sustainability:
  • Sustainability strategy focusing on protecting natural ecosystems, addressing climate change, and embedding sustainable practices across operations.
  • Volunteering and charitable giving programs, including Matching Gifts, Volunteering Leave, and Global Day of Giving.

Pay

The U.S. base salary range for this position is $210,000 to $250,000 USD. Actual pay will be determined based upon the individual’s skills, experience, and location.

About Us

AXA XL, the P&C and specialty risk division of AXA, is known for solving complex risks. We provide re/insurance solutions by combining a comprehensive and efficient capital platform, data-driven insights, leading technology, and the best talent in an agile and inclusive workspace. Learn more at axaxl.com.