Global asset manager AXA Investment Managers has rehired its former sales manager to lead its business in France.

AXA Investment Managers has welcomed back its former sales manager Florence Dard as head of France.

Dard rejoins the firm after five years with Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management, where she served as head of European institutional sales and sovereign wealth funds, and head of French institutional sales. 

Before this, she spent a decade at AXA Investment Managers, in roles including head of corporate sales for pension and saving schemes, and institutional sales manager.

“We are very pleased to welcome Florence back to AXA IM,” said the firm's global head of client group, Christophe Coquema.

“France is a hugely important market for us and with her breadth of sales and industry experience, we are confident that Florence is the right person to lead our efforts to not only maintain, but also grow our market share in France.”

Based in Paris, Dard will report to Coquema. She will lead French sales, marketing and client services teams, while driving the business's strategic development across all client segments in France. This includes institutional investors, independent financial advisors and AXA France’s unit linked business. 

She takes over from Bettina Ducat, who previously held responsibility for the French market as head of distribution for Southern Europe and Middle East. When the investment manager established its client group last year, Ducat was named head of retail, wholesale and marketing.

AXA IM has been busy this year building up its global capabilities. In February, it hired Henrik af Donner, David Andersson and Viktoria Orhamn from UBS to serve its Nordic clientèle. 

As of the end of March, AXA Investment Managers had around €689 billion ($768 billion) in assets under management worldwide.