A restructuring and accompanying executive shakeup at the North American business of Axa XL, a unit of Axa S.A., was followed by other senior appointments.

The restructuring also included an undisclosed number of layoffs.

The insurance business was reorganized into three segments: large commercial, mid-market and professional.

The announcement of the layoffs and restructuring was the fifth-most-read risk management-related story on Business Insurance’s website in 2024.

The announcement came less than a year after former consulting firm executive Lucy Pilko was named CEO of Axa XL’s insurance operations for the Americas region, succeeding Joseph Tocco, who retired from the company.

Based in New York, Ms. Pilko previously was managing director and senior partner at Boston Consulting Group, where she led its North American insurance practice.

In July, shortly after the reorganization was announced, Axa XL named former CopperPoint Insurance Cos. executive Kathleen Ziegler chief operating officer for its Americas insurance business, succeeding Jerome Itty.

Donna Nadeau, previously chief underwriting officer for the Americas, was named head of large commercial. Matthew Waters, who joined Axa XL from Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., was named head of the U.S. mid-market segment, and a committee of executives was appointed to lead the professional segment.

Axa XL also announced a series of executive appointments to its large commercial segment, including Donnacha Smyth as CUO, casualty; Eric Donofrio as CUO, specialty; and Michelle Chia as CUO of Axa XL’s cyber, design professional and select professional insurance businesses in the Americas.

No. 6 most-read story