Manila, Philippines, October 8, 2025 – AXA, a worldwide leader in insurance, reaffirmed its commitment to the Philippines as a key growth market during the recent visit of its global leadership team. AXA Group Chief Executive Officer Thomas Buberl and AXA International Markets Chief Executive Officer Hassan El-Shabrawishi emphasized the country’s strong potential, citing its growing economy of about 5% per year that is driven by strong domestic demand from a growing yet fragile middle class, its young and dynamic population, and increasing demand for protection and financial solutions. They noted that these factors make the Philippines both a vital market for AXA’s global strategy and a hub of innovation and resilience.
The executives also reinforced AXA’s strong partnership with Metrobank, which anchors the company’s presence in the Philippines. The companies’ long-standing joint venture for over 25 years has pioneered bancassurance in the country, expanded digital channels for easier policy access, and integrated financial education closer to Filipino families and businesses. This partnership continues to amplify access to financial protection while pairing it with risk-reduction education to promote more inclusive economic growth.
During their visit, Buberl and El-Shabrawishi emphasized AXA’s mission to provide inclusive, future-ready protection solutions tailored to Filipino households, businesses, and communities. By combining the Group’s global expertise with its strong local presence, AXA aims to deliver solutions that address the country’s unique risks, helping future-proof the lives of Filipinos to ensure economic and financial progress for the long-term—from vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters to reliable safety nets for evolving health and financial challenges.
“Insurance today must go beyond protection after the fact. Our goal is to help communities anticipate risks, prepare for them, and recover more quickly,” said Thomas Buberl, CEO of AXA Group. “The Philippines plays an important role in this vision. If risk preparedness and recovery can be strengthened here, it can serve as a model for other high-risk regions across the globe.”
Hassan El-Shabrawishi highlighted the Philippines as a vital testbed for AXA’s inclusive protection initiatives. “We are committed to scaling access to insurance for underserved groups such as MSMEs, informal workers, and vulnerable households,” he said. “Through AXA EssentiALL, our global inclusive insurance program, we are creating affordable, practical solutions that support financial resilience for millions of families.”
Beyond specific programs, AXA illustrates this commitment by prioritizing financial literacy, enabling digital access, and conducting resilience-building initiatives. In the Philippines, these efforts help families gain a better understanding and appreciation of how insurance can help them navigate life’s uncertainties, making protection a standard part of Filipinos’ everyday lives.
With a focus on deepening partnerships, driving a prevention-first mindset and shifting to more inclusive insurance into general protection benchmarks, the executives’ visit reflects AXA’s broader strategic direction of positioning insurance as an essential societal infrastructure.