AXA vs HDFC Bank: Founders, CEOs and History
AXA was founded in 1817 by Jacques-Théodore le Carpentier, Claude Bébéar and is led by Thomas Buberl. HDFC Bank was founded in 1994 by Hasmukhbhai Parekh and is led by Sashidhar Jagdishan.
Company facts
Founders
AXA
Jacques-Théodore le Carpentier
Little is recorded about le Carpentier beyond the founding act itself. In 1817 he and 17 other property owners in Rouen created the Compagnie d'Assurances Mutuelles contre l'Incendie for the departments of the Seine and the Eure, covering their own buildings a…
Claude Bébéar
Claude Bébéar built modern AXA. After joining in 1958 he spent 17 years inside the business, including 1964 to 1966 in Canada creating the life insurance arm of the group subsidiary Provinces Unies, before becoming chief executive in 1975 following Sahut d'Iza…
HDFC Bank
Hasmukhbhai Parekh
Hasmukhbhai Thakordas (H.T.) Parekh founded Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) in 1977, at age 66, after a long career at ICICI.
CEOs and their tenures
AXA
- Claude Bébéar1975–2000
Chairman and CEO
Bébéar turned a Normandy mutual into a global insurer between 1975 and 2000. He took control of the Drouot Group in 1982, bought Présence in 1986, merged with Compagnie du Midi in 1988, took control of The Equitable in the United States in 1991, National Mutua…
Source - Henri de Castries2000–2016
Chairman and CEO
De Castries ran AXA from May 2000 to September 2016, through the dot-com collapse, the 2008 financial crisis and the euro-area debt crisis, without state support.
Source - Thomas Buberl2016–present
Chief Executive Officer
Buberl became chief executive in September 2016 and refocused AXA on insurance underwriting.
Source
HDFC Bank
- Aditya Puri1994–2020
Managing Director
Over 26 years as CEO, he built HDFC into India's largest and most highly valued private sector bank, maintaining pristine asset quality throughout multiple economic cycles.
Source - Sashidhar Jagdishan2020–present
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer
Steered the bank through the RBI technology restrictions and the largest merger in Indian banking, while keeping gross NPAs near 1.2%.
Source - Atanu Chakraborty2021–2026
Part-time Chairman
Former Economic Affairs Secretary who chaired the board through the HDFC Ltd merger; resigned on March 18, 2026, citing ethical concerns. Keki Mistry served as interim chairman until Rajiv Kumar's appointment.
Source - Rajiv Kumar2026–present
Part-time Chairman
He managed the complex post-merger integration processes to ensure the massive combined loan book maintained strict asset quality.
Source
Timeline: AXA and HDFC Bank side by side
1817AXA
Founding of the Compagnie d'Assurances Mutuelles contre l'Incendie
Jacques-Théodore le Carpentier and 17 other property owners in Rouen set up a mutual fire insurance company, the earliest predecessor of AXA. It stayed a Normandy mutual, later called Ancienne Mutuelle, for more than a century.
1975AXA
Claude Bébéar becomes chief executive
Bébéar, recruited in 1958 by André Sahut d'Izarn, took over the Anciennes Mutuelles group in 1975 after Sahut d'Izarn's death and the settlement of a strike that had paralysed the company in April 1974.
1982AXA
Takeover of the Drouot Group
Bébéar took control of the Drouot Group, then the leading private French insurance group, and became its chairman alongside his role at Mutuelles Unies.
1985AXA
Creation of the AXA name
The group adopted the invented name AXA, short and pronounceable in any language, and Bébéar moved from running the insurance companies to chairing the group.
1986AXA
Acquisition of the Présence Group
AXA bought the Présence Group in April 1986, continuing the consolidation of French insurers.
1988AXA
Merger with Compagnie du Midi
The merger with Compagnie du Midi made AXA the second-largest French insurance group behind UAP and brought Equity and Law, then the sixth-largest life insurer in the United Kingdom. Bébéar was elected Manager of the Year the same year.
1991AXA
Control of The Equitable in the United States
After a failed attempt to buy Farmers, AXA agreed in July 1991 to demutualise and take control of The Equitable, then the fifth-largest life insurer in the United States, which also brought Alliance Capital Management.
1994HDFC Bank
HDFC Bank Incorporated
HDFC Bank is incorporated as one of India's new private-sector banks.
1995HDFC Bank
Banking Operations Begin
The bank begins operations and builds a private-sector banking franchise.
1996AXA
Acquisition of UAP
AXA bought UAP, a French insurer twice its size, doubling its French business and reaching critical mass in the United Kingdom, Belgium and Germany. The merger took effect in 1997.
1999AXA
Guardian Royal Exchange and Nippon Dantai
Guardian Royal Exchange joined AXA in early 1999, adding scale in United Kingdom property, casualty and health insurance, and AXA took control of Nippon Dantai, then the thirteenth-largest life insurer in Japan.
2000HDFC Bank
Times Bank Merger
HDFC Bank merges with Times Bank, one of its early scale-building deals.
2006AXA
Acquisition of Winterthur
AXA agreed to buy Winterthur from Credit Suisse for ~$14.8 billion (CHF 12.3 billion), about $8.93 billion (EUR 7.9 billion) in cash, strengthening its position in Switzerland, Germany and central and eastern Europe.
2011AXA
Sale of AXA Canada
AXA sold its Canadian operations to Intact Financial Corp. for ~$1.87 billion (C$2.6 billion) as part of a portfolio review.
2018AXA
Acquisition of XL Group
AXA bought XL Group for $15.3 billion in cash, shifting the group toward commercial property and casualty lines and creating the AXA XL platform.
2020HDFC Bank
Sashidhar Jagdishan Becomes CEO
Sashidhar Jagdishan succeeds Aditya Puri as managing director and CEO in October 2020.
2023HDFC Bank
HDFC Ltd Merger Completed
HDFC Bank completes the merger with parent HDFC Ltd, creating a much larger banking balance sheet.
2024AXA
Launch of the Unlock the Future plan
With its 2023 results in February 2024 AXA presented a 2024 to 2026 plan targeting underlying earnings per share growth of 6% to 8% a year, an underlying return on equity of 14% to 16% and a new capital management policy.
2025AXA
Sale of AXA Investment Managers to BNP Paribas
AXA completed the sale of AXA Investment Managers to BNP Paribas Cardif on July 1, 2025 for ~$5.76 billion (EUR 5.1 billion) in cash, a total transaction value of ~$6.1 billion (EUR 5.4 billion), and signed a long-term agreement for BNP Paribas to manage a lar…
2025AXA
Death of founder Claude Bébéar
AXA announced on November 4, 2025 that Claude Bébéar, its founder and Honorary Chairman, had died at the age of 90. He ran the group from 1975 to 2000 and created the AXA name in 1985.
2026HDFC Bank
FY2025-26 Net Revenues Reach INR 1,91,218.60 Crore
HDFC Bank reports ~$22.2 billion (INR 1,91,218.60 crore) in net revenues and ~$8.66 billion (INR 74,671.30 crore) in profit after tax.
2026HDFC Bank
Rajiv Kumar Becomes Chairman
After Atanu Chakraborty resigned in March 2026, the RBI approved Rajiv Kumar as part-time chairman effective July 15, 2026.
Acquisitions
AXA
- Prima Assicurazioni (51% stake)2025Undisclosed
- Laya Healthcare2023Undisclosed
- XL Group2018$15.3B
- Winterthur2006$10B
- UAP (Union des Assurances de Paris)1996$7.8B
- The Equitable (US)1991$1B
HDFC Bank
- HDFC Ltd. (Reverse Merger)2023Undisclosed
- Centurion Bank of Punjab2008Undisclosed
Questions about AXA vs HDFC Bank
Who is the CEO of AXA SA and HDFC Bank Limited?
AXA SA is led by Thomas Buberl and HDFC Bank Limited is led by Sashidhar Jagdishan. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was AXA SA founded vs HDFC Bank Limited?
AXA SA was founded in 1817 — 177 years before HDFC Bank Limited, which was founded in 1994. AXA SA's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger HDFC Bank Limited.
How many employees does AXA SA have compared to HDFC Bank Limited?
AXA SA employs approximately 156,000 people, while HDFC Bank Limited employs approximately 211,178. HDFC Bank Limited has the larger workforce at 211,178 employees, compared to AXA SA's 156,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are AXA SA and HDFC Bank Limited headquartered?
AXA SA is headquartered in France and HDFC Bank Limited is headquartered in India. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded AXA SA and HDFC Bank Limited?
AXA SA was founded by Jacques-Théodore le Carpentier, Claude Bébéar. HDFC Bank Limited was founded by Hasmukhbhai Parekh.
Which company has a longer operating history — AXA SA or HDFC Bank Limited?
AXA SA has been operating for approximately 209 years, making it the more established of the two companies. HDFC Bank Limited has been in operation for around 32 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the AXA vs HDFC Bank overview