OREANDA-NEWS.  AXA announced today it will enter into a partnership with Commercial International Bank (“CIB”) whereby AXA will benefit from a 10 - year e xclusive Life & Savings distribution agreement with CIB in Egypt , focusing more specifically on Unit - Linked and Protection & Health insurance. As part of the transaction, AXA will acquire 100% of Commercial International Life Insurance Company (“CIL”), a leading Egyptian Life insurance player, jointly owned by Legal & General (55%) and CIB (45%), for a cash consideration of EGP 763 million (or Euro 88 million), subject to price adjustment at completion. In addition, AXA will pay to CIB an access fee and commissions under the bancassurance agreement.

With its ca. 628,000 retail and 60 ,000 corporate customers, CIB is the #1 private - sector bank in Egypt, relying on an extensive network composed of 16 6 bran ches and 10 , 0 00 points of sales . It has built a highly reputable brand and a robust market position with a clear ambition to accelerate its presence in the retail banking segment. Thus, CIB represents a unique partner for AXA to benefit from the high growth prospects of the Egyptian market.

CIL is the #3 Life & Savings insurance player in Egypt with a 15 % market share and offers both Unit - Linked and Protection products. It is a fast - growing company with 23 % annual premium growth from 2012 to 2014 , and a strong business performance over the first six months of the fiscal year 2015 .

Thanks to the excellent positioning of CIB in Egypt, t his transaction will allow AXA to accelerate its development in Egypt, following the grant of its preliminary non - life insurance license in March 2015 , and more generally to pursue the strengthening of its footprint in the Middle East and Africa . It will also support the shift in business mix towards more Unit - Linked and Protection & Health products, in line with the Ambition AXA strategy.

Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals, and is expected to take place by the end of 2015.

ABOUT THE AXA GROUP

The AXA Group is a worldwide leader in insuranc e and asset management, with 161 ,000 employees serving 103 million clients in 59 countries. In 2014, IFRS revenues amounted to Euro 92.0 billion and IFRS underlying earnings to Euro 5.1 billion. AXA had Euro 1 ,277 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2014.