AXA Launches Euro 100 Million Research Fund to Promote Academic Research
October 10 2007 - 3:08AM
PR Newswire (US)
PARIS, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AXA announces today the
creation of a Euro 100 million global AXA RESEARCH FUND to be
launched in early 2008. Top-rate academic research is crucial to
the continued development of the global economy and to the
technologies and talents that will drive this development in future
generations. Ensuring that adequate funding is available for
academic research projects is not the exclusive domain or
responsibility of governmental and academic institutions. AXA
believes that the private sector can, and should, play an important
role in promoting meaningful academic research consistent with its
larger social responsibilities. In this context, the AXA Group has
decided to launch the AXA RESEARCH FUND managed by a Scientific
Board chaired by Ezra Suleiman professor of political science at
Princeton University and independent member of the AXA Supervisory
Board. AXA has committed a total of Euro 100,000,000 to the Fund
over 5 years. The Fund will support academic research institutions
and individuals involved in post doctorate research programs and
will support academic research projects in the following areas
associated with AXA's business of Financial Protection: --
Comprehension and prevention of core risks for the human being and
his environment: health and pandemics, population ageing and long
term care, environment and climate -- Finance theories and
financial markets -- Sciences, technology and information systems:
web 2.0 and virtual worlds -- Marketing, consumer expectations and
behaviours -- Human sciences and sociology of organizations. "The
AXA RESEARCH FUND is another example of how the private sector can
make meaningful and lasting contributions to society as a whole. By
supplementing funds available from more traditional sources, the
AXA RESEARCH FUND will help ensure that funding is available to
pursue the type of high quality, independent academic research
needed to address some of society's most pressing issues and to
develop the talent and know-how that our societies will need to
deal with these issues going forward. I am proud that AXA is in a
position to sponsor this initiative," said Henri de Castries,
Chairman of the Management Board of AXA. The AXA RESEARCH FUND will
be officially launched at a press conference to be held in Paris --
France -- in January 2008. Details of the governance of the Fund
and the precise areas of actions as well as the first projects to
be funded will then be presented to the public. About AXA AXA Group
is a worldwide leader in Financial Protection. AXA's operations are
diverse geographically, with major operations in Europe, North
America and the Asia Pacific area. For full year 2006, IFRS
revenues amounted to Euro 79 billion and IFRS adjusted earnings
amounted to Euro 5,140 million. AXA's stock is listed on the Paris
Bourse and the NY Stock Exchange, and is included in the Dow Jones
Sustainability Index, FTSE4GOOD and ASPI Eurozone ethical indices.
This press release is available on the AXA Group web site:
http://www.axa.com/ DATASOURCE: AXA Group CONTACT: AXA Investor
Relations: Etienne Bouas-Laurent, +33-1-40-75-46-85, or
Paul-Antoine Cristofari, +33-1-40-75-73-60, or Emmanuel Touzeau,
+33-1-40-75-49-05; AXA Media Relations: Christophe Dufraux,
+33-1-40-75-46-74, or Armelle Vercken, +33-1-40-75-46-42 Web site:
http://www.axa.com/ http://www.axa-equitable.com/
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