AXA redoubles its commitment to ORRAA

• AXA executive Ulrike Decoene becomes ORRAA’s Board Chair

• AXA funds new Programme and Risk Director role in the Alliance

London, June 23, 2022 – AXA is announcing that it is further committing to its membership of the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA).

AXA is one of the founding members of the Alliance and global lead insurance partner.  ORRAA brings together the finance and insurance sectors, governments, civil society groups, and stakeholders from the Global South to pioneer finance and insurance products that incentivise investment into nature-based solutions in coastal and marine areas, with a focus on protecting the regions and communities that need it most. 

Now Ulrike Decoene, Group Chief Communication, Brand and Sustainability Officer, and a Member of AXA’s Management Committee, will take the role as Chair of ORRAA’s Board.

In addition, AXA is supporting a new Programme and Risk Director at ORRAA. This role will be taken by Chip Cunliffe, who was formerly AXA XL’s Biodiversity Director.

Ulrike Decoene, AXA’s Group Chief Communication, Brand and Sustainability Officer, says “I am very honoured to become Chair of the ORRAA board. The scale of the challenge we face means it also comes with great responsibility.  I look forward to working with the board, ORRAA’s partners, governments, UN agencies and other stakeholders to see more nature-based solutions urgently rolled out across the world’s at-risk coastal communities.”

Ulrike Decoene: “I am very honoured to become Chair of the ORRAA board.”

Chip Cunliffe: “The use of insurance to assess, manage and transfer risk, is a key tool to incentivise investment and more effectively protect climate vulnerable coastal communities.”

Chip Cunliffe, ORRAA’s Programme and Risk Director, says: “The use of insurance to assess, manage and transfer risk, is a key tool to incentivise investment and more effectively protect climate vulnerable coastal communities. Along with our members, we are looking to expand our on-the-ground programme and so I look forward to working with ORRAA’s partners to take this important work forward.”

Karen Sack, Executive Director, ORRAA, says: “These two important appointments further strengthen the Alliance as we move on to the next phase of delivering change at scale.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank AXA for its ongoing support and commitment to ORRAA at this crucial time with the immense challenges the Ocean faces.”