Andrea Rossi, chief executive of Axa Investment Managers, wants his business to run more money for other insurance companies. They are clients Rossi understands well, as a former boss of Axa’s own insurance operations in Italy and the Middle East. He also has ambitions to grow the fund manager’s business in new geographies, chiefly the Americas and Asia.

Progress looks to be paying off so far for Rossi, who is approaching his two-year anniversary at the helm of the firm. Last year, total assets swelled 14% to €623 billion by December 31, 2014, with €19 billion of net inflows - a figure Rossi, who is based in Paris and London, is particularly pleased about.