AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) has promoted Ouajnat Karim to UK CEO.
Karim will succeed Marcello Arona, who is “pursuing opportunities outside of the business”, according to AXA IM.
In her new role, Karim will report to both Jean-Chistophe Ménioux, general secretary and chief financial officer (CFO) at AXA IM and Geoffroy Reiss, chief operating officer (COO) and global head of transversal services for AXA IM Core.
Karim has spent 17 years at AXA IM and was named deputy COO of AXA IM Core in 2019 and was further promoted to the position of UK COO and global head of oversight for AXA IM Core in 2023.
Arona will leave AXA IM after nearly 20 years at the firm.
Commenting on the appointment, Jean-Chistophe Menioux, general secretary and CFO at AXA IM, said: “I am delighted that Ouajnat will be taking on this new professional endeavour within AXA IM and I trust that her extensive knowledge of the business, significant control and governance oversight experience, as well as her strong focus on people and clients, will be instrumental to her success in the role.
“I would like to warmly thank Marcello Arona for the significant contribution he has made to AXA IM over the last 20 years and wish him every success for the future.”
AXA IM made multiple senior ETF hires across 2023 – including Olivier Paquier as global head of ETF sales – but hires have since slowed in 2024.
Earlier this year, AXA Investment Managers entered into negotiations to sell its investment arm to BNP Paribas in a €5.1bn deal.
