AXA renews the mandate of its AXA Research Fund for five more years, supporting the exploration of emerging risks and partnerships with academic experts around major societal issues

AXA renews the mandate of its AXA Research Fund for five more years, supporting the exploration of emerging risks and partnerships with academic experts around major societal issues

(PRESS RELEASE) PARIS, 12-Jan-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — AXA (EPA: CS), a French multinational insurance and asset management firm, has announced that it has renewed the mandate of the AXA Research Fund for five years. The fund, one of the largest scientific philanthropy initiatives in the private sector, has a total budget of €250 million and has supported 708 projects led by researchers of 60 nationalities, 42% of whom are women. The fund’s objective during this new mandate is to reinforce the transdisciplinary exploration of emerging risks, to consolidate the links between academic experts, industry and the public sector around major societal issues, and to launch innovative formats for the dissemination of scientific knowledge.

“We are very pleased to renew the mandate of the AXA Research Fund, one of our largest philanthropic commitments. By funding projects related to the preservation of our planet, the improvement of health and the stability of our economies and societies, we are fully implementing our purpose: Act for human progress by protecting what matters,” commented Thomas Buberl, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF AXA.

“Since 2007, our support for research has helped advance scientific knowledge and its dissemination in society. It has also helped the scientific community to work and provide ever more effective and concrete solutions to the major challenges of our time, such as climate change,” said Ulrike Decoene, GROUP CHIEF COMMUNICATION, BRAND AND SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER.

Professor Debra Roberts appointed President of the Scientific Board of the AXA Research Fund

AXA also announces today the appointment of Professor Debra Roberts as President of the Scientific Board of the AXA Research Fund. Prof. Roberts heads the Sustainable and Resilient City Initiatives function in eThekwini Municipality (Durban, South Africa). In 2015, Prof. Roberts was elected as Co-Chair of Working Group II (Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for the sixth assessment cycle (2015-2023). Over her 30 years in local government she has been responsible for a diverse range of portfolios including: sustainable development, environmental management, biodiversity planning and management, climate change adaptation and resilience. She succeeds Professor Thomas Kirkwood.

“I would like to warmly thank Prof. Kirkwood for his major contribution to the work of the Scientific Board over the past 10 years. I am delighted to welcome Prof. Roberts as our new President. Her extensive experience in connecting science with decision-making and public action in the field of climate change will be particularly useful in guiding the Fund during this new mandate,” added Marie Bogataj, AXA RESEARCH FUND & GROUP FORESIGHT DIRECTOR.

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SOURCE: AXA