Philippe Donnet

Philippe Donnet
Philippe Donnet
Born (1960-07-26) July 26, 1960 (age 64)
Suresnes, France
Alma materÉcole Polytechnique, Institut des Actuaires
EmployerAssicurazioni Generali
TitleCEO
Term2016–present

Philippe Donnet (born 26 July 1960 in Suresnes, France) is a French business executive with Italian citizenship and has been the CEO of Assicurazioni Generali since March 2016.[1][2]

Education

Donnet entered École Polytechnique in 1980 and graduated in Engineering in 1983; there he met Claude Bébéar, the founder of AXA, who later became his mentor.[3] In 1986, he became an actuary,[4] and in 1991 he became agrégé at the Institute of Actuaries of France.[5][6][7]

Career

Early career

In 1985, Donnet began his insurance career at AXA,[5] where he held different positions until 1997, when he was appointed Deputy Managing Director of AXA Conseil.[8]

In 1999, Donnet was appointed CEO of AXA Assicurazioni in Italy[5] and then in 2001 he was appointed Regional CEO, responsible for the Mediterranean region, Middle East, Latin America and Canada.[6] Additionally, in 2002, Donnet was assigned the role of chairman and CEO of AXA Re as well as Chairman of AXA Corporate Solutions.[8] In 2003, Donnet was named CEO of Axa Japan[9] where he operated in the context of an economy characterized by very low interest rates;[3] in 2006 he took on the role of CEO for the entire Asia-Pacific region.[6][10]

In 2007, he left the insurance sector for a period of six years to take on the position of General Manager for the Asia-Pacific region at Wendel Investissement, Singapore.[9] In 2010, Donnet founded HLD, an investment firm.[11] In 2008, he joined the Board of Directors of Vivendi, a role he kept until 2016.

Career at Generali

Donnet joined Generali in 2013 as country manager for Italy and CEO of Generali Italia.[12][13] He led the integration of five Generali Group brands (Generali, Ina Assitalia, Toro, Lloyd Italico e Augusta).[14][15] In the same period, starting from February 2015, he held the position of Chairman of the MIB School of Management in Trieste for three years.[16]

Appointed CEO of Generali Group on 17 March 2016,[17][18] under his management the Group's results improved significantly between 2016 and 2021: the operating result grew from 4.8 billion to reach 5.9 billion euros (the best operating result ever),[19] the net result reached 2.8 billion from 2.0 billion euros, debt dropped to 9.6 billion from 13.1 billion euro, and the Solvency Ratio rose to 227%, up from 175%.[20][21] Under his guidance, Generali renewed its relationship with Venice, collaborating in the restoration of the Royal Gardens (2019),[22] restoring the Procuratie Vecchie (reopened to the public in 2022),[23][24] and participating in the foundation of the association "Venice, the world capital of sustainability.”[25]

In May 2016, he was appointed Chairman of Generali Italia, a role he held until August 2022.[26]

In 2022, Generali’s outgoing board put forward Donnet for a third mandate as CEO.[27] On 29 April 2022, Donnet was reconfirmed as Group CEO of Generali, with the majority of votes of the Shareholders' Meeting in favour of his reappointment.[28][29]

Other activities

  • Italian National Association of Insurance Companies (ANIA), Vice President (2016-2017)[30][31]
  • He supported the creation of The Human Safety Net, Generali's initiative to help vulnerable families and the integration of refugees through work and entrepreneurship, of which he is a Board member (since 2017)[32]
  • Insurance Development Forum (IDF), Member of the Steering Committee (since 2022)[33]
  • Domaine national de Chambord, President of the Board of Directors (since July 2023)[34]
  • Pan-European Insurance Forum (PEIF), Chair (since October 2024)[35]

Personal life

Donnet is a former rugby player[36] and he is among the major French wood barrel manufacturers.[37]

He is very attached to the city of Venice, where he chose to reside; on 23 April 2021, he was conferred Italian citizenship by the mayor Luigi Brugnaro.

He is passionate about cycling and tennis and has three children.[38][39]

Honours and awards

Other awards

  • In 2022[44], 2023[45], and 2024[46] he was named "Best CEO" of the insurance sector in the All-Europe Executive Team ranking of Institutional Investors
  • In 2023
    • the Foreign Policy Association awarded him the "Corporate Social Responsibility Award"[47]
    • the Fondazione Premio Galileo 2000 awarded him the "Premio Galileo 2000 per l'Impresa"[48][49]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Generali: Board of Directors". Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Reuters - Profile: Philippe Donnet". Retrieved 5 May 2017.[dead link‍]
  3. ^ a b Grégoire Pinson (30 March 2017). "Portrait - Philippe Donnet, directeur général de Generali". Challenges.
  4. ^ "Philippe Donnet, la force tranquille de Generali". Les Echos. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "Roger Philippe Donnet - Ania". www.ania.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  6. ^ a b c Niccolò Mazzarino (11 March 2016). "Philippe Donnet, chi è il successore di Mario Greco alle Assicurazioni Generali". Formiche.net. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  7. ^ Anna Messia (12 March 2016). "Un Leone alla francese". Milano Finanza.
  8. ^ a b "Il Sole 24 Ore - Profile: Philippe Donnet". Il Sole 24 Ore. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  9. ^ a b Paolo Possamai (21 March 2016). "Generali, Donnet rugbista zen un francese a cavallo del Leone". la Repubblica.
  10. ^ "Generali, al via riassetto governance". Il Sole 24 ORE. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  11. ^ "HLD | Jean-Bernard Lafonta | Our story". Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  12. ^ Anna Messia (1 August 2013). "Donnet guiderà Generali Italia". Milano Finanza.
  13. ^ "Greco chiama Donnet per Generali Italia - MilanoFinanza.it". Archived from the original on 2023-04-05. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Intelligent Insurer - Generali appoints CEO and general". Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  15. ^ "Nuova organizzazione per Generali Italia. Donnet accelera sull'operatività. Ecco la sua squadra". Affaritaliani.it. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Il Presidente MIB Philippe Donnet è il nuovo AD e Group CEO di Assicurazioni Generali". MIB Trieste School of Management. Archived from the original on 8 May 2016. Retrieved 2017-01-20.
  17. ^ "Generali committee picks Donnet as CEO, Minali as MD-source". Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  18. ^ "Donnet: "Inizia un nuovo percorso Generali vincerà la sfida dei mercati Fondamentale è fare squadra"". Corriere della Sera. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Generali, risultato operativo record nel 2021. Donnet: manteniamo promesse fatte al mercato". Teleborsa. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  20. ^ "GENERALI GROUP CONSOLIDATED RESULTS AT 31 DECEMBER 2016 - Press release (1)". generali. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Generali Group Consolidated Results as of 31 December 2021(1)". generali. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  22. ^ "Generali Assicurazioni partner del restauro dei Giardini Reali di Venezia | Venice Gardens Foundation". www.venicegardensfoundation.org. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  23. ^ Arianna Testino (8 April 2022). "Riaprono le Procuratie Vecchie a Venezia". Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  24. ^ "Procuratie Vecchie Venezia, inaugurate dopo il restauro. Zaia: "Opera faraonica" - Cronaca". il Resto del Carlino. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  25. ^ "Venezia vuole diventare "capitale mondiale della sostenibilità" puntando sull'idrogeno". HydroNews. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  26. ^ "Generali, prime mosse di Donnet: Sesana direttore di Generali Italia". Nord Est Economia. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  27. ^ Stefano Bernabei (15 March 2022). "Generali investor proposes naming insurer's Austria chief as CEO". Reuters. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  28. ^ "The 2022 Annual General Meeting approves the 2021 financial statements and appoints the new Board of Directors". generali. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  29. ^ "Generali: lista del cda con Donnet vince in assemblea - Economia". Agenzia ANSA. 29 April 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  30. ^ "Organi Direttivi - Ania". Archived from the original on 15 January 2017.
  31. ^ "Ania, tre nuovi vicepresidenti: Donnet, Bradshaw e Di Benedetto". Firstonline. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  32. ^ "La Fondazione". The Human Safety Net. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  33. ^ "Philippe Donnet". Insurance Development Forum. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  34. ^ "Décret du 13 juillet 2023 portant nomination du président du conseil d'administration du Domaine national de Chambord - M. DONNET (Philippe)". Legifrance.gouv.fr. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  35. ^ "Peif.eu".
  36. ^ "Generali, tassi zero e mercati volatili: la doppia sfida del "rugbista" Donnet". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  37. ^ Dell'Olio, Luigi (29 March 2016). "Donnet, la "forza tranquilla" del Leone". Il Piccolo (in Italian).
  38. ^ "Philippe Donnet, la force tranquille de Generali". Les Echos. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  39. ^ "Generali, Donnet rugbista zen un francese a cavallo del Leone". la Repubblica. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  40. ^ Décret du 15 mai 2006 portant promotion et nomination, retrieved 5 May 2017
  41. ^ Décret du 13 juillet 2016 portant promotion et nomination, retrieved 5 May 2017
  42. ^ Légion d’honneur: la promotion du 14 juillet 2016
  43. ^ Comunicato stampa - NOMINATI I 25 NUOVI CAVALIERI DEL LAVORO
  44. ^ "Generali la più premiata nella Institutional Investor Survey. Donnet miglior CEO del settore assicurativo". Teleborsa. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  45. ^ Generali, Donnet awarded "best CEO" in the insurance sector by Institutional Investor
  46. ^ "Generali ai vertici delle classifiche di Extel: Philippe Donnet si conferma miglior CEO del settore assicurativo". La Stampa (in Italian).
  47. ^ "Foreign Policy Association". www.fpa.org. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  48. ^ "Premio Galileo 2000: "Lo dedico alle famiglie che soffrono e al loro sorriso - Luce". 21 May 2023.
  49. ^ "Musica, arte, scienza e impresa, a Firenze il XIX Premio Galileo 2000".