Abbey marketer to run Axa’s online services

Insurance giant Axa has appointed Abbey National executive Karen Jones marketing director of its new e-business operation.

Jones, who was head of customer marketing at Abbey National, joined the company this week. She reports to e-business chief executive Graham Hill.

She will be responsible for devising the marketing strategy for the launch of Axa’s UK portal site, which has yet to be named and is scheduled to go live at the end of this year.

The portal will offer customers a range of Axa services, including core savings and investment products from Axa Sun Life, and health and general insurance products from PPP Healthcare and Axa Insurance.

The site will also offer share dealing and banking, through partners such as The Woolwich and Axa’s brokerage arm DLJ Direct.

Hill says: “Jones’ arrival significantly strengthens the team in place to develop this new channel.”

An Axa spokesman says the French-owned company has yet to decide whether it will appoint a separate advertising agency to promote the e-business scheme. TBWA GGT Simons Palmer handles the main ad account.

The company is understood to be scrapping the PPP brand early next year, to bring it into line with its other divisions, as part of its strategy to build a global Axa brand (MW July 20).