231 Corinne Southarewsky, COO Axa Japan

Previously, Corrine was the Chief Distribution and Chief Claims
Officer AXA XL APAC Europe and XL Insurance Company SE, Head of
Claims XL Insurance company SE & AXA XL Business Unit APAC
Europe, Head of Global Claims Operations, Global Chief Claims
Officer, CEO Protexia France, Allianz France. 


She graduated in engineering from Ecole nationale des ponts et
chaussees and has an MBA from College des Ingenieurs.


Summary


Corinne Southarewsky’s approach to leadership in Japan blends her
extensive global experience with an acute sensitivity to local
cultural dynamics. Transitioning to her role as COO of AXA Japan,
she emphasised the importance of listening, understanding, and
respecting Japan’s traditions and people while maintaining
authenticity. Corinne highlights that successful leadership
begins with adaptability—not imposing preconceived notions but
learning from the environment and its people.


One key element of her leadership philosophy is recognising
individual contributions while fostering teamwork. She believes
in creating a culture of mutual respect, purpose, and
collaboration to inspire and engage employees. For Corinne, the
alignment of organisational purpose with shared goals strengthens
employee dedication, especially in a client-focused industry like
insurance, where empathy and precision are vital.


Corinne also addresses the cultural emphasis on perfectionism
common in both French and Japanese contexts, harnessing this
trait to ensure high service quality. However, she balances this
with a pragmatic acceptance of imperfection, promoting
resilience, innovation, and the willingness to learn from
failures—an approach that helps mitigate cultural resistance to
experimentation in Japan.


Her advice to leaders entering Japan includes taking time to
understand the culture, respecting traditions, and building trust
through sincerity and alignment of actions with words. She
stresses the importance of meeting employees and clients
personally to gain deeper insights and foster genuine engagement.
As a female leader, Corinne advocates for women’s empowerment by
focusing on their individual goals and fostering family
collaboration for work-life balance. She also encourages leaders
to create flexible environments that accommodate personal and
professional growth for both men and women.


Corinne’s leadership style exemplifies the fusion of cultural
respect and global perspective, making her insights invaluable
for anyone aspiring to lead effectively in Japan.