Guillaume Borie/Deep research

Guillaume Borie
Born	(1986-03-21) March 21, 1986 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
Citizenship	French
Education	Master's degree in Political Science Degree in History
Alma mater	Sciences Po Paris University of Aix-Marseille
Occupation	Business executive
Employer	AXA
Known for	Digital transformation Corporate social responsibility Innovation ecosystem development
Title	Global Head of Finance, Strategy, Underwriting, Risk and Technology
Term	December 1, 2025 – Present
Predecessor	Frédéric de Courtois
Board member of	Orchestre à l’École (President) France Assureurs (Vice-President) Fédération Française des Sociétés Anonymes d’Assurance (President)

👔 Guillaume Borie is a French business executive who, as of early 2026, serves as the Global Head of Finance, Strategy, Underwriting, Risk and Technology at AXA, one of the world’s largest insurance groups. In this Group Management Committee role, Borie oversees AXA’s financial direction and strategic initiatives while driving integration of risk management and technological innovation across the company’s global operations. He was previously the Chief Executive Officer of AXA France (the group’s flagship French subsidiary) from 2023 to 2025, where he led AXA’s largest market and earned a reputation for effective transformation and growth management. Widely regarded as a rising figure in the insurance industry, Borie stands out as a strong voice for inclusion, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility within the sector. His leadership style emphasizes teamwork, innovation, and aligning business goals with societal impact. AXA Group CEO Thomas Buberl has praised Borie’s strategic mindset and deep knowledge of the business, noting that Borie’s transformational leadership at AXA France was “instrumental in the development and growth of AXA France … and will help accelerate the strategic trajectory of the Group” as it enters a new cycle.

Early life and education

👶 Lyonnais upbringing. Guillaume Borie was born on March 21, 1986, in Mont-Saint-Aignan, a suburb of Rouen in northern France. An only child in a family of civil servants (both parents were managers in the national Education system), he grew up in the city of Lyon after his parents’ job transfers brought the family back to their native region in eastern France. Borie has described himself as an energetic and intellectually curious youth who “always loved school” despite a mischievous streak in the classroom. During his teenage years in Lyon, he became active in the European Youth Parliament, an international student-led simulation of parliamentary debate. He thrived in this program, eventually heading the organization’s Rhône-Alpes region and even serving as its national president in France – all by the age of 21. These formative experiences deepened Borie’s early passion for politics and public affairs, as he enjoyed debating ideas and engaging with peers from across Europe.

🎓 Academic pursuit. For his higher education, Borie initially pursued a path in the humanities. After earning his baccalauréat, he enrolled in a classe préparatoire (preparatory class) in literature, aiming for elite academic institutions. He attempted the entrance exam for the prestigious École Normale Supérieure, but when that endeavor proved unsuccessful, he pivoted toward a career in public affairs instead. Borie studied history at the University of Aix-Marseille and then gained admission to the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po Paris), where he completed a master’s degree in political science.

🏛️ Political immersion. Notably, during his time at Sciences Po, he was able to balance academics with hands-on political experience: from 2007 to 2009 he worked part-time as a parliamentary assistant in the French National Assembly, an opportunity for which Sciences Po allowed him to extend his studies over an extra year. This role gave Borie an inside view of legislative processes and sharpened his understanding of public policy early in his career. He ultimately emerged from Sciences Po with a solid foundation in public affairs and a network of connections, but also with the realization that he preferred the pragmatism of the private sector over a life in politics (a field he found less appealing after seeing it “from the inside,” as he later remarked).

Career trajectory (chronological)

Early career (the foundation)

💼 Corporate transition. Borie began his professional career in the political arena. From 2007 to 2009, he served as a collaborateur parlementaire (parliamentary assistant) to a French Member of Parliament, where he conducted policy research and managed legislative correspondence. This early stint in politics honed his skills in analysis and communication, and gave him first-hand insight into government affairs. By 2009, however, Borie decided to transition to the corporate world – a move partly prompted by academic mentors who encouraged him to gain private sector experience. A chance networking encounter led him to pursue an internship at AXA, the global insurance group, which would become the arena for his rapid professional ascent.

📢 Communications roles. Borie joined AXA in 2009 as a communications officer for the AXA Research Fund, a philanthropic initiative that supports scientific research relevant to insurance and risk. In this role he was responsible for promoting AXA’s research sponsorships and communicating their impact, which helped him develop expertise in public relations and an appreciation for innovation. By 2010, he had moved into AXA’s Group media relations team as a press spokesperson, a position he held until 2013. During these foundational years, Borie built a reputation as an articulate company representative and learned to navigate the complexities of corporate communications and branding. He interfaced regularly with journalists and stakeholders, experience that would prove valuable as he advanced into strategic roles. His effectiveness in these early assignments did not go unnoticed by AXA’s top executives – setting the stage for a series of fast-track promotions in the years to follow.

The rise (pre-committee roles)

🚀 Strategic ascent. Borie’s breakthrough into senior management came in 2013. At just 27 years old, he was appointed Secretary to AXA’s Board of Directors and Chief of Staff to the Group CEO, then Henri de Castries. In this influential post, reporting directly to the chief executive, Borie acted as a key adviser and coordinator for AXA’s top leadership. He gained broad exposure to the group’s international operations and strategy, effectively becoming the young right-hand to the CEO. Borie continued in the Chief of Staff role through AXA’s leadership transition in 2016, serving briefly under incoming CEO Thomas Buberl.

🗺️ Strategic roadmap. That same year, Buberl promoted Borie to Group Corporate Development Director, putting him in charge of AXA’s global strategy formulation and execution as the company prepared its next strategic plan. In this capacity, Borie played a central role in steering the development of “Ambition 2020 – From Payer to Partner,” AXA’s enterprise-wide strategic roadmap for 2016–2020 that refocused the insurer on customer-centric services and technical excellence. Colleagues noted Borie’s analytical rigor and capacity to drive cross-functional initiatives during this period, which solidified his status as a rising star within AXA’s management ranks.

💡 Innovation leadership. In late 2017, at age 31, Guillaume Borie took on a new challenge as AXA’s Group Chief Innovation Officer, a role that tapped him to accelerate the company’s innovation efforts amid a rapidly changing industry landscape. Concurrently, he was named CEO of AXA Next, a newly created entity encompassing AXA’s innovation ecosystem (including venture capital, tech incubators, and digital partnerships) effective January 1, 2019. As Chief Innovation Officer and AXA Next CEO, Borie was responsible for developing new business models and services for the group, especially in emerging areas such as healthcare technology, digital platforms, and data-driven insurance solutions. He oversaw a broad innovation ecosystem – spanning initiatives like AXA Venture Partners (the group’s venture capital arm), the Kamet incubator, AXA Climate, and AXA Labs – working to turn experimental projects into scalable offerings.

🔧 Ecosystem transformation. Under Borie’s leadership, AXA’s innovation efforts were restructured and given strategic focus, which AXA credits as having “successfully transformed [the company’s] innovation forces into an essential asset” for implementing the group strategy and industrializing new business models (particularly in health services). Borie also forged partnerships with technology firms and startups to keep AXA at the forefront of digital trends; for example, he emphasized initiatives in health-tech and AI-driven services during this time. This period burnished Borie’s credentials as an innovator and change-agent within the company.

Deputy CEO of AXA France

🇫🇷 Operational command. At the end of 2019, Borie’s career took another major step upward – this time into a frontline operational role. He was appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer of AXA France, effective January 1, 2020, at the age of 33. In this position (formally Directeur Général Délégué), Borie was put in charge of AXA France’s entire Property & Casualty insurance business for individual, commercial, and professional clients, as well as the company’s vast distribution network of agents and brokers. This meant he oversaw critical profit centers and customer-facing operations in AXA’s home market. His portfolio included managing relationships with roughly 3,000 AXA general agents across France and 1,200 partner brokers, indicating the scale of his responsibilities.

🦠 Crisis management. Transitioning from a staff role to running core business lines was a significant test, and Borie assumed the deputy CEO post just months before the COVID-19 pandemic upended the insurance industry in 2020. During the ensuing crisis, he was involved in navigating complex claims issues (such as business interruption claims from locked-down businesses) and in formulating AXA France’s response, which included customer relief measures and a €300 million solidarity fund for affected restaurateurs (a sector hit hard by disputed pandemic coverage). Borie’s leadership during this challenging period helped maintain AXA’s customer trust and positioned the company for recovery as the pandemic subsided. By leading AXA France’s P&C and distribution operations through a time of volatility, he gained invaluable experience in operational risk management and stakeholder communication. His successful handling of these responsibilities further validated the company’s confidence in his executive abilities.

Current mandate (executive leadership)

🔝 Top executive. In June 2023, Guillaume Borie was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of AXA France, becoming the top executive of AXA’s French insurance subsidiaries. This appointment marked the culmination of his swift ascent through the company and coincided with his joining AXA’s Group Management Committee (the global executive committee). As CEO of AXA France, Borie assumed full oversight of all AXA’s insurance businesses in France – spanning life insurance, property-casualty, health, and wealth management – which together represent AXA’s largest geographic market and a substantial share of the group’s revenues. At 37 years old, he was one of the youngest people to lead AXA’s French operations in the company’s history.

🗣️ Industry advocacy. During his tenure as AXA France CEO (2023–2025), Borie focused on accelerating growth in key segments and strengthening the company’s distribution channels. He championed several strategic initiatives, including digital modernization of customer services and a push for more sustainable insurance offerings (in line with AXA’s broader climate commitments). Borie also became a prominent industry voice in France: in September 2023 he was elected Vice-President of France Assureurs, the French insurance industry federation, reflecting his standing among peers. In this role he worked with regulators and industry leaders on policies affecting the insurance sector, and he additionally served as President of the Fédération Française des Sociétés Anonymes d’Assurance (the section of the association representing stock-based insurance companies). These external posts underscore Borie’s influence beyond AXA, as he helped represent the industry on matters like climate risk and insurance coverage for natural catastrophes in France.

🌍 Global mandate. After two successful years at the helm of AXA France, Borie was tapped for an even broader leadership role at the group level. In October 2025, AXA announced that Guillaume Borie would take on the newly created position of Global Head of Finance, Strategy, Underwriting, Risk & Technology for AXA Group, as the company reorganized its top team in preparation for the next strategic plan. This appointment became effective December 1, 2025. In his new mandate, Borie reports directly to AXA Group CEO Thomas Buberl and effectively consolidates oversight of many of AXA’s central functions – he succeeded Frédéric de Courtois (a departing AXA deputy CEO) in assuming responsibility for group finance, strategy implementation, risk management, underwriting policy, and technology/AI development worldwide. The role is expansive: Borie now guides AXA’s financial strategy and capital management, leads strategic planning, and drives group-wide initiatives in data analytics, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation that are increasingly critical to insurance competitiveness. Industry analysts noted that combining underwriting, risk, and technology under Borie’s direction signals a tighter integration of data-driven decision-making in AXA’s operations – for instance, using advanced analytics and AI to improve pricing, claims handling, and risk modeling across the company’s various markets.

🔮 Future vision. With this move to the Group Management Committee’s upper echelon, Borie stepped down from his role as AXA France CEO (his successor in France, Mathieu Godart, was appointed concurrently in late 2025). Borie’s focus has shifted to steering AXA’s global strategy and ensuring the successful execution of the group’s new three-year plan “Unlock the Future” (2024–2026) and beyond. As of February 2026, he is deeply involved in shaping AXA’s post-2026 strategic vision, aiming to sustain the group’s growth momentum while accelerating innovation in areas like digital health services and climate risk solutions. His mandate also involves close collaboration with AXA’s various country CEOs to align local business units with global priorities. Borie’s elevation to this role reflects AXA’s confidence in his leadership: the Group CEO publicly expressed that Borie’s “in-depth knowledge of our different businesses, [and] ability to transform our operations” would help “accelerate the strategic trajectory of the Group” in the coming years. In less than two decades, Borie has thus risen from a junior communications post to one of the most influential positions at AXA’s group headquarters – a testament to his strategic acumen and track record of driving change.

Personal life

🔒 Private nature. Despite his prominent corporate roles, Guillaume Borie keeps a relatively low profile in his personal life. He has not publicly disclosed details about his marital status or whether he has children (as of 2026, no such information is available) – indicating a preference to keep family life private. What is known is that Borie’s upbringing and interests have fostered a lasting commitment to community and culture. He grew up in a family of educators and developed a passion for politics and civic engagement early on, which later translated into active involvement in charitable and cultural initiatives alongside his business career.

🎻 Musical philanthropy. For example, Borie serves as the president of Orchestre à l’École, a French nonprofit organization that provides musical instruments and instruction to schoolchildren irrespective of their socio-economic background. He was introduced to this cause through AXA’s sponsorship and was inspired by its mission of inclusion through music; under the mentorship of Véronique Weill (a former AXA executive who previously led the association), Borie took over the presidency and has been passionately supporting its growth. This role allows him to give back to the community and reflects his belief that corporate leaders should help drive positive social impact.

🍳 Culinary passion. In his personal time, Borie is an avid cook and finds cooking to be a major source of relaxation and work-life balance. He has said that an ideal weekend is “in the countryside, with friends, a good wine and a good meal that I cook”, as the act of cooking forces him to disconnect from work and focus on the moment. Gastronomy is more than just a hobby for him – it’s a form of stress relief: “When I’m cooking, I can’t think about anything else, and it does me a lot of good,” he shared in an interview, highlighting how this creative outlet helps him recharge from his demanding job.

🧠 Character depth. Borie also maintains an interest in intellectual and social activities. He has remained connected to various think tanks and alumni networks, and he enjoys spending time with friends (many of whom date back to his lycée years in Lyon) during his downtime. Colleagues describe Borie as energetic, affable, and grounded. Though he rose quickly through AXA’s ranks, he is often noted for his approachable style and his penchant for open dialogue – traits perhaps honed during his youth involvement in debate forums. He continues to be driven by the same intellectual curiosity and social engagement that characterized his early years. In sum, Guillaume Borie’s personal life, while private, reflects a well-rounded individual who values continuous learning, camaraderie, and contributing to society. His journey from a politically engaged student in Lyon to a top executive at AXA illustrates a blend of ambition and principle: a leader who not only strives for business excellence but also remains mindful of the broader community and the importance of balancing work with personal passions.