AXA XL Taps Hanes as Construction Innovation, Sustainability Leader

AXA XL Insurance has promoted Cheri Hanes to vice president, head of innovation and sustainability, for its North America Construction Insurance business.

Ms. Hanes was previously subcontractor default insurance (SDI) construction risk engineering manager at AXA XL. She takes over the position previously held by Rose Hall, who was promoted in October to lead AXA XL's newly created Office of Innovation for the Americas and reports to Gary Kaplan, president, North America Construction.

"Since joining the team in 2012, Cheri has contributed tremendously to the development and build out of our core risk engineering services, putting her 25+ years of preconstruction, operations, and project management experience to work to help our clients prevent costly losses," Mr. Kaplan said in a statement. "She certainly sees the added value that innovative tools, technology, and greater attention to sustainability can bring to construction risk management programs.

"In her new role, she'll continue to drive ours and our clients' tech adoption, innovation, and sustainability practices to find new ways to help our clients prevent losses and keep tighter control on the rising cost of risks," Mr. Kaplan said.

In her most recent role at AXA XL, Ms. Hanes managed a team of SDI risk engineers providing consultation, training, and best practices to help contractors minimize subcontractor default risk. Before joining AXA XL as a construction risk engineer, Ms. Hanes worked with Yates Construction's North Texas division in operations and sustainability management.

"Over the last few years, through our Construction Ecosystem, Preferred Partners, and other initiatives, we put a sharp focus on helping our clients adopt new risk-reducing technology to boost their construction risk management efforts. These efforts have now extended to other AXA XL business lines in the Americas," Mr. Kaplan said. "Cheri will focus on promoting innovation specifically through a construction lens, working with our Americas Office of Innovation."