Since 2001, Helen Browne has been gaining an in-depth understanding of the operations of AXA, the French holding company of the AXA Group, a global insurance leader. After nine years of heading AXA’s legal finance team, the added responsibility of heading mergers and acquisitions was added to her role. Before taking her current position in 2016, Browne accrued experience within the legal department as AXA’s deputy general counsel for two years.

Now, as group general counsel she heads a team of around 20 people and reports to the group general secretary. With AXA continuing to make investments through acquisitions and given Browne’s much lauded ability in this regard, her M&A work remains a key feature of her contribution at AXA. Brown is noted for her supporting the insurance giant’s purchases of Maestro Health and XL Group. Before joining AXA, Browne had a brief spell working in the fashion industry and was also of counsel at Linklaters working on IPOs. She has an LLB in English and French law from the University of Kent and a law degree from the University of Grenoble.