How AXA XL Transformed into a Skills-Based Organization

How AXA XL Transformed into a Skills-Based Organization
March 20, 2026 5 mins

How AXA XL Transformed into a Skills-Based Organization

How AXA XL Transformed into a Skills-Based Organization

AXA XL, a subsidiary of the insurer and reinsurer AXA, wanted to capitalize on the talent they had in their organization in the face of a complex series of challenges. Working with Aon, AXA XL was able to future-proof its organization and ensure it can meet future workforce needs.

Key Takeaways
  1. The retirement cliff, the impact of generative AI and the need to upskill and reskill the workforce are all drivers in AXA XL wanting to become a skills-based organization.
  2. Emerging risks, from climate volatility and digital disruption to demographic shifts and geopolitical uncertainty, are also reshaping the insurance landscape and demanding new skills and more agile workforce strategies.
  3. Working with more than 150 leaders, AXA XL, with Aon as its partner, created skills profiles for every worker and checked for skill proficiency and gaps, arriving at more than a million data points.

Facing talent shortages and industry disruption, AXA XL knew that becoming a skills-based organization would lend them the flexibility they needed to compete. That meant the business needed to have an overview of what skills already resided in their organization, what skills they might need in the future and where the gaps lie. Skills discovery was strategically important to senior business leaders, the HR function and their business strategy.

David Jones, AXA XL’s Global Head of Talent and Employee Experience, knew a project that would create a roadmap to becoming a skills-based organization needed to be bold. “We knew that as an HR function, we had to do something different,” said Jones. “We had to do something that was meaningful, impactful, and capitalizing on the talent we had in the organization”

Aon’s involvement

Keran Dhillon, AXA XL’s Global Head of Selection & Assessment, drove the project. While this type of project typically originates in learning and development or strategic workforce planning, Dhillon’s experience in psychometric assessment led her to a bold strategic approach by engaging Aon to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the entire organization. “Combining our business DNA with Aon’s global intelligence and deep insurance insight allowed us to co-create something unique for our organization,” said Dhillon. Aon combines skills data and sophisticated technology platforms with business validation, ensuring that the data and technology used for recruitment and development is proven to deliver measurable improvements in hiring quality, internal movement and overall workforce effectiveness.

The project

The end goal for AXA XL was to become a skills-based organization with a comprehensive understanding of the skills they currently have, those they may need in the future and the capabilities they should recruit for. Every employee who completed the skills discovery journey received an in-depth development report, which included feedback on their skills, identified their top strengths and highlighted areas to prioritize for development.

The Project in Numbers

  • 54

    Aon and AXA XL developed 54 unique skills profiles, one for each job function. They comprised behavioral, business and technical skills and target skill proficiency scores critical in the job function for success.

  • 350

    Over 350 skills were identified as part of a curated organization-wide taxonomy.

  • 150

    Aon partnered with around 150 leaders in AXA XL, participating in workshops, interviews and surveys, to help develop and validate the skills profiles and taxonomy.

  • 82%

    Around 82% of the organization completed a skills discovery journey, including the full executive leadership team. Each employee’s critical skills and skill level were assessed, according to their job function. Managers rated their employees’ skills.

  • 1M

    The skills discovery journey generated more than a million data points. Among other things, this data enabled AXA XL to conduct gap analyses to determine if there were any areas within the organization where skills gaps needed to be addressed.

  • 1

    A leadership skills profile was developed for alignment on critical behavioral skills expected of leaders. This is key in an industry where technical skills are often the focus. These skills are now transparent.

Quote icon

Skills provide the flexibility to navigate uncertainty. That’s why becoming a skills-based organization isn’t just a talent initiative — it’s a business imperative.

Louisa Blain
Head of Insurance for Human Capital

The transition to skills-based organization doesn’t happen overnight. While smaller pilot projects can help with short-term results, it takes leaders willing to take the long view, secure the buy-in of stakeholders and execute on a long-term vision. The reward is an organization with competitive advantages in both business and talent acquisition that is ready for the future.

Learn More

Interested in how you can partner with Aon to assess the skills your organization needs in the future? Our assessments can enable HR to future-proof the organization, find tomorrow’s leaders and achieve better outcomes. Learn more: Post-Hire Talent Assessment | Aon

General Disclaimer

This document is not intended to address any specific situation or to provide legal, regulatory, financial, or other advice. While care has been taken in the production of this document, Aon does not warrant, represent or guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or fitness for any purpose of the document or any part of it and can accept no liability for any loss incurred in any way by any person who may rely on it. Any recipient shall be responsible for the use to which it puts this document. This document has been compiled using information available to us up to its date of publication and is subject to any qualifications made in the document.

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The contents herein may not be reproduced, reused, reprinted or redistributed without the expressed written consent of Aon, unless otherwise authorized by Aon. To use information contained herein, please write to our team.

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