Brings Proven Leadership and Operations Skills to the Business NEW YORK, May 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Joanne Pietrini-Smith has been appointed Chief Operating Officer of AXA Partners, the life insurance business unit of AXA Distributors, LLC., based in Farmington, CT. The announcement was made today by Gary Hirschkron, President of AXA Partners and Executive Vice President of AXA Distributors, LLC., the company's proprietary life insurance and annuity wholesale distribution organization. Ms. Pietrini-Smith will oversee the management and optimization of AXA Partners, including the operational aspects of new business and sales. "We are delighted to welcome Joanne in her new role as COO," said Mr. Hirschkron. "AXA Partners has grown rapidly since we entered the life insurance wholesale business in 2004. With her outstanding management and operations skills, her technology expertise, and record of delivering high- performance results, Joanne will play an integral role in AXA Partners' drive to galvanize further growth in third-party life distribution." Ms. Pietrini-Smith joined AXA Equitable in December 2003 as Senior Vice President responsible for the integration of The MONY Group following its acquisition by AXA. Since May 2006, Ms. Pietrini-Smith has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of AXA Equitable's Information Technology group, focusing on strategic initiatives and business operations. Previously, she served as Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff for AXA Equitable's retail distribution organization, AXA Advisors, LLC. Prior to joining AXA Equitable in 2003, Ms. Pietrini-Smith held various leadership positions with First Republic Bank, including Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of the bank and Chief Administrative Officer for Trainer Wortham & Company, an investment subsidiary. Previously, she was Vice President and Manager of Strategic Planning and Administration with Mellon Bank Corporation in Pittsburgh, PA. Ms. Pietrini-Smith holds a B.A. in Computer Science with Business from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH and a M.B.A. from Babson College in Wellesley, MA. About AXA Equitable In business since 1859, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company is a leading financial protection company and one of the nation's premier providers of life insurance, annuity, and investment products and services. AXA Equitable's assets under management totaled $888.6 billion as of December 31, 2007. The company's products and services are distributed to individuals and business owners through its retail distribution channel AXA Advisors, LLC; to the financial services market through its wholesale distribution channel, AXA Distributors, LLC; and to corporations and their employees through its corporate distribution channel, Corporate Markets. AXA Equitable, a subsidiary of AXA Financial Inc., is part of the global AXA Group, a worldwide leader in financial protection strategies and wealth management. AXA Group's operations are geographically diverse, with major operations in Europe, North America, and the Asia/Pacific region. AXA Group is listed as the 15th largest company in the world on the 2007 Fortune Global 500 list (based on revenues). It had $1.87 trillion in assets under management as of December 31, 2007. Listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, the AXA ordinary share trades under the symbol AXA. The AXA American Depositary Share is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol AXA. About AXA Partners AXA Partners distributes AXA Equitable proprietary life insurance products on a wholesale basis to brokerage general agents (BGAs), broker/dealers, independent financial planner producer groups and to the AXA Advisors, LLC retail distribution network of financial professionals. It is a business unit of AXA Distributors, LLC. These products include Athena Universal Life Series(SM) and Athena Survivorship Life(SM), Incentive Life (IL) Series(SM) of flexible premium variable universal life, including Incentive Life(SM) Corporate Owned Life Insurance and Survivorship Incentive Life(SM), the Level Term Series(SM) and Return of Premium Term(SM). DATASOURCE: AXA Equitable CONTACT: Media, Discretion Winter of AXA Equitable, +1-212-314-2968, Web site: http://www.axa-equitable.com/

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