French insurer Axa SA (AXA) Wednesday said Jacques Maire will take over as the chief executive of Axa Hungary from Tibor Szekeres, who will retire Jan. 1, 2010.

MAIN FACTS:

- Jacques Maire will report to Cyrille de Montgolfier, Central & Eastern Europe Region CEO.

- Prior to this appointment, Maire was senior vice-president for European and public affairs.

- Benoit Claveranne, previously executive director for France at the International Monetary Fund, will replace Maire as senior vice-president for European and public affairs starting Sept. 2.

- Axa has 1,110 employees and proprietary distributors in Hungary and 444,000 clients.

- In Hungary, Axa has 7% market share in pension funds, a 3% share of the life-insurance market and a 4% share of the banking market.

- By Paris Bureau, Dow Jones Newswires; +331-4017-1740; jethro.mullen@dowjones.com