AXA Group

On March 7, 2007, Henri de Castries participated in the presentation of the Fondation du Risque, of which AXA is a founding member. With the support of the French academic community and private French companies, the Fondation du Risque aims to create a center of excellence in research and education in the field of financial and industrial risk management. Here's a report on the event.

 No less than 600 students, researchers, university professors, journalists, insurance specialists, and employees from partner companies attended the Fondation du Risque presentation. In the vast Université Paris Dauphine amphitheater, this large audience attended three round-table discussions facilitated in turn by university professors, chief executives of the Fondation du Risque sponsor companies and researchers. The event also served as an occasion to present the five chairs soon to be launched by the foundation. Each chair will be dedicated to a type of risk and financed by one of the private partner companies.

The aim of the Fondation du Risque is simple: to further the growth of France's research, education and training potential in all areas of risk. Today, risk is understood to be a key issue for all sectors; now is the time to create an international center of excellence for research and education in France, focusing on risk in all its forms.

The Group has undertaken to support the work of the Fondation du Risque and has associated itself with the "Insurance and Major Risks" theme by financing the chair of the same name. The purpose of the chair is to study the insurability of major risks (natural disasters, terrorism, public health crises, etc.).

The novelty of this initiative lies in the partnership between major French research and educational institutions and large French companies. During the three round-table discussions, the representatives from both communities (the academic and business worlds) stressed the benefits to be gained by working hand-in-hand on these projects, planned for an initial five-year period.

For researchers, close collaboration with private companies represents more than a financial boon. It will help them whittle down the problems and acquire a clear vision of the key issues of tomorrow's finance industry. Companies see this partnership as an opportunity to gain a better understanding of complex topics and cultivate a rich pool of future talent. Henri de Castries said, "Young university graduates have an old-fashioned image of the insurance industry. Investing in research is a way to arouse their curiosity about our business."

 * Risk Foundation.