The Leadership Team

Olivier is a serial entrepreneur. He bought out La Parisienne Assurances which became Wakam, and has totally transformed the firm since 2015, bringing it to the bleeding edge of the industry, with a culture that truly stands out in the world of insurance.

Olivier has also brought a lively dynamic to Wakam, having engineered its Mission-Driven status in 2021 and he continues to be heavily involved in this area within the company.

He wrote and published Patrimoine Ephémère (“Pop-up heritage”) to propound his vision of insurance as the means to safeguard economic and social stability in society.

Buoyed by new technology, especially Blockchain, Olivier oversees Wakam’s Play&Plug tech platform.

His favourite saying is “Success is 10% strategy and 90 % execution”. Olivier loves music and will readily share his mixes!

His name is Morillon, Alexandre Morillon.

Alexandre has already taken on many challenges in the insurance industry as Managing Director of 3 insurance companies within the Banque Postale group, but also for 20 years in Marketing, Digital and Transformation activities within non-life businesses. He brings to Wakam his in-depth knowledge of the insurance industry throughout the value chain.

His new mission as VP Transformation, Risk & Compliance (Deputy CEO) is to transform Wakam’s business model so that it is increasingly adapted to its growth and diversification.

As a fan of James Bond and his cars, Alexandre also loves 80s music and vintage artefacts: nostalgia rocks!

Franck did not initially set out to work in insurance: it was the amazing meeting of minds with amazing men and women that led him here.

After a challenging stint in the French navy, and various entrepreneurial adventures, he worked at McKinsey for several years before moving on to Allianz (Allianz France and Allianz Partners), and lastly Wakam. The one thing all these experiences have had in common is humanity, challenge and team spirit.

At Wakam, Franck steers a vast European team working in sales, marketing, products, project teams to support the implementation of partnerships and the Mission-Driven Business!

Franck loves surfing, taking to the waves at exactly the right moment and riding to transform them into opportunities. You’ll see Franck on the coast, especially in cold waters in Brittany. Yup, he loves a challenge!

At Wakam, Matthew’s role is to ensure the company get the most value from data. With his team, Matthew is building a culture around leveraging data to the maximum while ensuring Wakam maintain and upload strong user privacy. This means everyone within the company can understand where to find data and make data-driven decisions, data governance is a standard.

• Originally qualified and worked as an actuary at AXA/AMP in Australia
• After some time Matthew decided to broaden his data skills and moved into a data consulting firm and lead projects across a broad range of data topics (data analytics, data science, etc.) in many different industries
• He then decided to get some international experience and moved to Paris to work in the Data Innovation Lab at AXA (i.e. back in insurance) where he focused on building new capabilities, in particular, Matthew built a team focused on Fraud and Claims Data Innovation
• Then Matthew moved to Doctolib to build their Data Science team and embed data science into their products before joining Wakam and insurance again!

VP Finance & Corporate Legal at Wakam, Anouk has worked in a variety of environments that have given her a thorough understanding of financial and insurance issues.

She began her career in finance with KPMG and the investment company Groupe Chevrillon. She then joined the AXA Group, where she held a number of senior positions, culminating in her appointment as CFO and member of the Executive Committee of the Major International Risks entity, Axa Corporate Solutions Assurance. There she made a major contribution to the transformation of the finance function.

In recent years, she has put her skills at the service of growing insurance companies, helping them to structure their development, manage their financing and their external growth operations.

Her experience, coupled with her in-depth knowledge of the financial challenges facing the insurance sector, has enabled her to work on Wakam’s development, supporting the company’s ambition for growth and managing the financial side of the business in close collaboration with the business teams.

In her spare time, Anouk enjoys cultivating her Normandy orchards and mentoring start-ups, mainly in the Insurtech environment.

As VP Capital and Reinsurance, Lauren is responsible for defining and monitoring Wakam’s capital management and reinsurance strategies, including alternative risk transfer. Lauren leads Wakam’s capital management and reinsurance teams from London.

Prior to joining Wakam, Lauren was a founding member of the Corporate Advisory & Solutions team at Acrisure Re. Lauren was responsible for project execution across capital raises, Lloyd’s advisory and legacy transactions.

Lauren’s experience prior to Acrisure Re covers actuarial consulting, (re)insurance pricing and ILS.

Lauren is a qualified actuary and a graduate of the University of Cambridge. Lauren is a huge sports fan, and her dream job would be Head of Strategy for an F1 team.

Sébastien is the mountaineer hitting the peaks in technology. He boasts years of experience in IT consulting first at Wavestone then in financial services for Accenture, meaning he has forged a body of expert knowledge in IT strategy, Agile transformation, design and roll-out of digital platforms and API, for CAC 40-listed companies.

Won over by Wakam’s bright and bonny project, he signed up for an expedition with the end goal of developing a tech nugget undergoing transformation with every sprint.

As a committed leader, Sébastien is kind but firm. He loves the mountains (as you’d already guessed) and playing pop-rock on his guitar.

Aurélien always works in a team and with the people around him.

As captain of the People & Culture team, Aurélien’s mission is to support Wakam’s strong ambitions in terms of recruitment, culture and talent management in France and Europe.

Aurélien has spent the last 10 years working for tech companies such as the American group Palantir.

He knows how to find clever and original solutions to the complex challenges of talent management. Aurélien has also worked on fast growing companies in a very international context.

Aurélien is passionate about Human Resources issues. This is why he is also a lecturer at the X Polytechnique and HEC schools.

As UK Branch Manager of Wakam, Mark leads the insurer’s UK operations, driving risk management, internal audit, actuarial, operations, underwriting, claims and finance functions. He is based in London.

Mark has over twenty years of experience in the insurance industry, including over ten years in international markets. In 2017, he became CEO of South British Capital, an international insurer operating in surety and credit reinsurance, and of its MGA Franchiseefirst, based in the United Kingdom, specializing in the surety market in Europe. Prior to this has held various Managing director roles include the UK Managing Director for RSA Personal Lines Business with a turnover of 1.4bn where he completed a significant profit turnaround and grew the direct, broker and affinity businesses by establishing new product lines, such as pet insurance and telematics.

Mark holds an MBA from the University of Warwick (UK) and a Diploma in Business Administration from INSEAD.

Mark’s passion is to travel by bike all around Europe. He has already achieved many trips he biking on the Loire valley end to end as well as Land’s End to John o’Groats. His next bike trip will be a Munich to Pisa!

With over 20 years of experience across America, Ireland and the UK, Baqur assumes the role of Chief Financial Officer at Wakam UK and brings a wealth of insurance experience facilitating organizational growth.

Leveraging his extensive experience gained in public and private equity backed insurance organizations (like AIG, KPMG or recently at Accelerant), Baqur’s financial acumen is an asset for the development of Wakam’s UK business.

Paul Jameson is an experienced UK Chief Risk Officer having held similar roles at Great Lakes, (backed by Munich Re), and at Legal & General Insurance. Paul has led the Great Lakes business to obtain UK regulatory approval following Brexit and delivered the acquisition and integration of L&G into the Allianz UK group.

Paul is an actuary who specialized in Solvency II and Internal Models prior to moving into the Risk Management function. He has also worked at several UK personal lines businesses including Lloyds Banking Group, NFU Mutual, Co-Op Insurance and Willis Towers Watson.

Denis has explored many different industries.

He spent 15 years in the world of contract catering, in managerial and financial positions, and gained insight into a client-oriented culture. He then spent seven years in direct contact with partners as Chief Revenue Officer at Wakam.

His compelling knowledge of insurance and his kindly nature are Denis’s strong points now that he has moved to the role of Chief Mission Officer at Wakam.

“Pura Vida” is his mantra. Whenever he gets the chance, he sets out on adventures, taking photographs of nature in Costa Rica!

With maths as his strong suit, Daniel first kicked off his career at the French Insurance Federation then took on the role of Director of Actuarial Services at Aréas Assurances. At Wakam he has worked in several capacities, heading up the Technical Department, Reinsurance, Risk and Products, meaning he has the best possible handle on the value chain in insurance!

Alongside the Product team, he now tailors insurance products according to Wakam’s unique Bespoke method.

In private, Daniel is both a music lover and musician, playing jazz and improvising, deploying his very special technical knowledge, just like at work.

Eric is top cat at Wakam, having fashioned the brand and driving its growth by communicating and marketing the firm’s valuable assets.

His previous experiences include a host of other projects, at Axa Partners and Bouygues Telecom. That’s right; he’s the one who set up online medical appointments and the famous limited plan targeting youngsters known as “Jeunes et Limités”!

Ever brimming with motivation, Eric also boasts boundless energy which he channels into skiing during his free time. You might well spot him speeding down slopes or chilling out in Megève!

Claire loves number crunching and dealing in probabilities, and has been crowned the queen of the rule of three!

After a 7-year stint at L’Equité, she took part in the launch of La Banque Postale assurance IARD before coming to join in the Wakam adventure.

Heading up the Technical Department, she manages the ever-growing profitability and reserving team and the life of production partners has no secrets from her.

Claire grew up in sunny Occitania before hitting Paris, although you’d never believe from her accent!

Act 1: Amandine spent 15 years on the dark side (aka banking). She worked in the General Inspection unit, was promoted to Sales Director for a network of branches, and ended up as Chief of Staff for a member of the Société Générale Executive Committee.

Act 2: As a firm believer in crypto-currency, she then embarked on an entrepreneurial adventure acting as a consultant for investment funds in this industry.

Act 3: At Wakam, Amandine is Chief People Officer at Wakam, with particular responsibility for the Office and Internal Communications.

Amandine is a specialist in both classic and contemporary theatre, since theatre-going is one of her favorite pastimes!

Aurélie is always ready with a quick answer when it comes to creating insurance solutions.

What does she bring to the ring? Her experience and her ability to define the guarantees and pricing of insurance products.

She started her career at BNP Paribas Cardif as a Portfolio Manager for Individual Protection and Loan Insurance before joining HSBC Insurance, where she was in charge of actuarial services. Then she worked on the implementation and organisation of the risk management system as Director of Risk and Actuarial Services in the Insurance Division at La Banque Postale.

She joined Wakam at the Olympic level, becoming Chief Reserving Officer. Her sound experience and tenacity allow her to develop innovative products that stand out from the crowd.

Aurélie is great with numbers! A word of advice: Don’t pester her too much about statistics if you don’t want her to wipe the floor with you!

Brand: Wakam
Model: Chief Legal Officer Partnerships
Mileage: 22 years of experience

Description: Cédrick expertly pilots Wakam’s Legal Partnerships team, which covers contractual complex and varied circuits in more than 32 European countries with specific legislation. He started out working in business-oriented environments and on B2B2C and B2B2B issues with insurance and non-insurance specialists at Genworth and then Asurion and Assurant. White label insurance and pan-European deals are his favourite racetracks.

What sets him apart from his competitors is undoubtedly his interpersonal skills and his discretion, coupled with his ability to do and deliver.

Bonus: A dyed-in-the-wool fan of motorsports, Cédrick is as fast and dynamic as a race car.

Chief of Risk & Internal Control at Wakam, Carole oversees and steers the implementation of the company’s risk management policy. Carole is the key risk management function for Wakam and the Big Wakam holding company.

Carole is also an explorer of the great outdoors.  Imagine her working in the technical and risk departments of major insurance groups such as Allianz Partners H&L and Generali. A 12-year trek that continued with a new adventure as Deputy Risk Director in charge of technical and financial risks and Solvency II Project Manager at Pro BTP, then as Head of the Finance, Savings and Pensions market at Galéa et Associés before joining Wakam.

Carole is also a member of the French Institute of Actuaries and the CERA Global Association. In short, Carole has a balanced appetite for risk and great perseverance, whether behind her computer screen or on the GR trails. A thrilling life between figures and panoramic views!

Chief Corporate Legal Officer, Joanna leads Wakam’s legal team in charge of corporate law matters, service provider contracts and intellectual property, drawing on her expertise in governance, (re)structuring and cross-border transactions.

This is a vast program, yet Joanna is always on the lookout for new challenges. She handles it with a great deal of serenity, thanks to her busy daily life. Dancing, theatre and trekking in the mountains are all activities that help her recharge her batteries. It allows her to take a step back to better deal with the complex and strategic issues related to her functions.

Trained as an attorney, she first worked as Tax advisor at Ernst & Young (Luxembourg), then in Mergers and Acquisitions at Gide Loyrette Nouel (Paris & Warsaw). From the world of external advisors to structuring a legal department for a digital music empire, she accompanied Believe to its IPO – on Euronext Paris – a landmark moment that reflects her success in the theatre of business!

Jonathan’s life is a rollercoaster between modelling and expeditions.

During the day, he works with models as Chief of Capital Management & Alternative Risk Transfer at Wakam. Responsible for capital management and the alternative risk transfer strategy, he ensures that Wakam is adequately capitalised and that this adequacy is maintained over the long term. His programme includes capital modelling and projection, analysis of capital opportunities, implementation of optimisation levers and, finally, strategic risk transfer projects.

But when he takes off his Chief’s hat, Jonathan unleashes his inner explorer. With over 30 visas in his passport, he has trekked in Peru, sailed in the Arctic and high-fived an orang-utan in Indonesia (yes, really!).

Before joining Wakam, Jonathan worked as Finance & Strategy Senior Analyst at BNP Paribas Cardif, Capital Manager at SCOR Global P&C and Consultant at Deloitte. An engineer by training, Jonathan is also a qualified actuary.

Whether it’s analysing figures or balancing on the back of a camel in the Sahara, Jonathan is at ease in any situation!

As Chief of Reinsurance, Alexandre oversees the development of the reinsurance programmes and ensures that they offer adequate cover. To do this, Alexandre maintains solid, transparent and long-term relationships with the reinsurers who support Wakam. His recipe? Training as an actuary, a good dose of interpersonal skills and the ability to solve problems. It’s not for nothing that Alexandre thrives on entrepreneurial adventures.

He began his career with the Axa group, first with Direct Assurance and then with Axa Global Direct, where he was responsible for disseminating the best standards in insurance pricing and developing techniques based on data science. He then moved on to PwC, where he was responsible for developing an insurance pricing practice and, more broadly, the actuarial consulting business. Alexandre has been with Wakam for 5 years and is a walking encyclopaedia of reinsurance. Always ready to share his knowledge, he has taught insurance pricing in the Actuarial Master’s course. His hobbies are entrepreneurship and the family, which led him to co-found a Familly concept, a resource centre and pushchair café focusing on parenthood, which sometimes keeps him busy at weekends – a real daddy hen!

As Chief of FP&A, Stéphanie leads the teams responsible for financial planning and analysis. She ensures that Wakam achieves its objectives by keeping a close eye on the figures and proposing any corrective action needed to optimise results.

A keen traveller when it comes to figures, Stéphanie spent eight years at Bouygues Telecom, exploring different parts of the company as a management controller. She then moved on to Axa Partners, where she was Head of Management Control France before becoming Head of Consolidation and Group Reporting.

Three years ago, she took a new direction by joining Wakam. Starting out as Head of FP&A, she went on to prove her worth and quickly took up the post of Chief of FP&A. What Stéphanie enjoys most is seeing the country and travelling. When she’s not analysing balance sheets and profit and loss accounts, she shares her tips with those who dream of venturing off the beaten track to the four corners of the globe.

The next stage of your journey? Buckle up, because with Stéphanie, the adventure is just beginning!

Mathieu is not only an insurance professional, he is a true lover of racket sports. He skillfully smashes insurance challenges for over 15 years. At Wakam, he takes on the role of Chief Performance & Transformation Officer.

With a broad experience, Mathieu began his journey in consulting, first at Jalma then at KPMG, where he provided services around risk management and transformation issues for both operational and sovereign functions.

He hones his insurance expertise at La Banque Postale’s General Inspection, before becoming Chief of Staff to the Deputy CEO in charge of Insurance, Catherine Charrier-Leflaive. A journey that propelled him to the heart of strategy and transformation challenges.

As Chief Performance & Transformation Officer, he drives the execution of the company’s strategy and transformation to make the organization increasingly efficient and high-performing.

In short, Mathieu likes to seize topics on the rebound and turn them into winning shots for the benefit of Wakam, its employees, and its partners.

With over 15 years of experience in claims management, Ian dons the apron as Chief Claims Officer UK & Europe at Wakam. He previously flourished at the American group AIG, where he spent over 10 years.

This master chef of claims brings his technical expertise to Wakam’s operations in Europe and the UK.

Using quality ingredients and a recipe known only to him, Ian ensures the continuous improvement of claims management throughout the ecosystem, for Wakam, its TPAs, and partners.

As a creative cook, Ian knows that each claim requires a personalized approach. You guessed it, when Ian gladly swaps his Claims Officer UK & Europe hat for that of chef in the kitchen. But that’s not all, gardening is also one of his great passions.

Here is Pascal, our Chief Accounting & Tax at Wakam.

He embodies financial fashion, blending elegance and expertise in his field. His journey begins as a financial auditor specialized in French multinational communication groups, listed and unlisted. French haute-couture finance!

He then takes on the role of head of taxation in the property insurance sector, where he deploys an international team at the forefront of tax trends.

Today, Pascal leads the accounting and tax department, he is the designer of numbers, ensuring that every detail is perfectly adjusted and in harmony with regulations.

If Pascal were not Chief Accounting & Tax, he would undoubtedly be a great designer presenting his collections at Fashion Week with the same passion and boldness he uses to manipulate numbers.