AXA Announces New Leadership to Empower Customer of the Future

AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (AXA), the primary U.S. subsidiary of the global AXA Group, announced new leadership appointments to further the company’s strategy of digitally-driven, advice-based solutions for growing an increasingly diverse customer base.

David W. Karr, Chairman of AXA Advisors (Photo: Business Wire)

David W. Karr, CFP®, CLU, ChFC has been named Chairman of AXA Advisors, the company’s retail distribution organization, overseeing the efforts of more than 5,000 financial professionals charged with offering financial protection and advice to American families. Karr is an AXA Advisors veteran -- most recently serving as co-head of Karr Barth Associates, AXA Advisors’ Philadelphia Branch, and prior to that in various sales management roles within the branch for more than 25 years. Karr Barth has, since its inception in 1967, been a peak performer among AXA Advisors’ extensive branch network and, under the leadership of Karr, has demonstrated unwavering success in understanding and delivering on customer needs while market and technological touch points have been in continuous motion.

Karr reports to Nick Lane, Senior Executive Director and Head of U.S. Life and Retirement who stated, “David will be a critical influencer in our endeavor to modernize our sales structure and process to optimize business growth, while keeping the connection to our present and future customer our primary focus.”

Two additional retail distribution appointments were made which serve to round out the new management team: James P. Mellin, CLU, ChFC, Chief Sales Officer and Christine Nigro, Vice-Chairman, AXA Advisors will both report to Karr. Mellin, also with more than 25 years of AXA Advisors experience, moves to headquarters in New York from his position as Wisconsin Branch Manager and Nigro expands her responsibilities after serving in a Divisional President role for the past two years.

“The role of advice is at the core of our business model. It is not only foundational to our history as a company, but also to our future,” said Lane. “It differentiates us in our industry and connects us to the most important aspect of what we do – bringing financial literacy, protection and dignity in retirement to millions of Americans and their families. This is a values-based leadership team representing a complement of strengths that will take us to the next chapter of our growth as a company.”

About AXA

“AXA” is a brand name of AXA Equitable Financial Services, LLC and its family of companies, including AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (NY, NY), MONY Life Insurance Company of America (AZ stock company, administrative office: NY, NY), AXA Advisors, LLC, and AXA Distributors, LLC. In business since 1859, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company is a leading financial protection company and one of the nation’s premier providers of life insurance, annuity, and financial products and services distributed to individuals and business owners through its retail distribution channel, AXA Advisors, LLC (member FINRA, SIPC) and to the financial services market through its wholesale distribution channel, AXA Distributors, LLC. Karr Barth Associates is not owned or operated by AXA Advisors or its affiliates.

AXA S.A. is a Paris-headquartered holding company for a group of international insurance and financial services companies, including AXA Equitable Financial Services, LLC companies. AXA S.A. is a worldwide leader in financial protection strategies and wealth management with 102 million clients in 56 countries as of December 31, 2013.

The obligations of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company and MONY Life Insurance Company of America are backed solely by their claims-paying ability. Find AXA on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. For more information, visit www.axa.com.

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