AXA LPP Foundation Suisse Romande About the Foundation

The semi-autonomous collective foundation tailored specifically to the needs of customers in French-speaking Switzerland. They benefit from an attractive rate of interest on their retirement assets and a high level of security.

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AXA LPP Foundation Suisse Romande

As a pension fund, AXA LPP Foundation Suisse Romande looks after occupational benefits (retirement, survivors’, and disability benefits) for affiliated companies and manages assets totaling over CHF 7,2 billion. More than 10,000 companies with over 54,000 insured employees put their trust in AXA LPP Foundation Suisse Romande, making it one of the largest partners for occupational pension provision for SMEs in French-speaking Switzerland. The Professional Invest Suisse Romande pension solution gives insureds above-average interest on their retirement assets that exceeds the statutory minimum.

Investment strategy and implementation

  • Since the Foundation and its affiliated occupational benefits funds bear the investment risk, the Board of Trustees is responsible for setting the investment strategy.
  • The assets are managed by AXA's Asset Management team.

Protection of pension benefits

  • Benefits due if an insured person becomes disabled or dies before they reach the reference age (formerly: normal retirement age) are reinsured with AXA Life Ltd.
  • The Foundation pays the retirement benefits and the associated survivors pensions in the event of the insured person’s death after they have reached the reference age (formerly: normal retirement age).

Attractive interest

  • The interest model set by the Board of Trustees increases transparency and enhances affiliated customers’ ability to plan.
  • The interest paid on retirement assets is based on the expected coverage ratio at the end of the year.

Administration and management

  • AXA Life Ltd 

History 

AXA LPP Foundation Suisse Romande, which is based in Winterthur, takes care of occupational benefits (retirement, survivors’, and disability benefits) for AXA customers. It was established in July 12, 1984 from the former “Winterthur” Life Insurance Company and originally named “Winterthur” Foundation for Mandatory Occupational Benefits. Since then, it has offered occupational insurance solutions for companies. 

Both the founder and the Foundation have had various name changes since the establishment of the Foundation: “Winterthur-Columna LPP Foundation” became “AXA LPP Foundation” and was subsequently renamed “AXA LPP Foundation Suisse Romande” in 2008. However, it has always had a strong focus on French-speaking Switzerland. Even though the Foundation's registered office was transferred from Lausanne to Winterthur in 2012, the deed of foundation explicitly states that its area of operation is French-speaking Switzerland.

Until the end of 2018, AXA LPP Foundation Suisse Romande was a full-value insurance solution. At the start of 2019, it became a semi-autonomous foundation. Since the transformation, AXA LPP Foundation Suisse Romande has not only borne the responsibility for investing its assets, it also provides retirement and surviving dependents’ benefits independently. Companies and their employees benefit from the increased freedom in defining the investment strategy, through attractive pension benefits thanks to the above-average interest on retirement assets and very attractive terms.

Strategy and vision

Given its roots, AXA LPP Foundation Suisse Romande gives priority to ensuring that its strategy meets the needs of companies in French-speaking Switzerland and their employees. A key focus of the Board of Trustees is enabling the Foundation to offer beneficiaries attractive pension benefits. 

The Foundation's solid structure is the cornerstone of this strategic objective. The Board of Trustees of AXA LPP Foundation Suisse Romande endeavors to achieve a balanced age structure in its portfolio of insureds as well as a balanced structure of retirement assets within the Foundation.

Organization of the Foundation

The Board of Trustees is the highest governing body of AXA LPP Foundation Suisse Romande and is therefore responsible for the overall management of the pension fund. It ensures compliance with the statutory and regulatory requirements, defines the strategic principles and objectives and how they are to be met. It also defines the organization of the pension fund, is responsible for its financial stability, and oversees management. 

Management is responsible for the administration of the pension fund and for coordinating all departments. The management is not represented on the Board of Directors but reports directly to it. The management attends meetings of the Board of Trustees and committee meetings in an advisory capacity. Details of its tasks and competencies are set out in the Foundation's Regulations.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees of AXA LPP Foundation Suisse Romande is elected every four years. It has six members and is comprised of an equal number of employer and employee representatives. The Board of Trustees is the Foundation's most senior governance body. Its actions are based on the needs of the beneficiaries.

For the current term of office from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2028, the six members of the Board of Trustees are: 

  • Christophe Wyssbrod

    Christophe Wyssbrod (Chair)

    Employee representative

    Association du CO des communes de la Broye, Estavayer-le-Lac
    Administration

    Curriculum vitae
  • Dominique Beuchat

    Dominique Beuchat (Vice-Chair)

    Employer representative

    3D Precision SA, Delémont
    Member of the Executive Board

    Curriculum vitae
  • Nicole Mamie

    Nicole Mamie

    Employer representative

    Prisma SA, Porrentruy
    Senior Management

    Curriculum vitae
  • Olivier Micheloud

    Olivier Micheloud

    Employee representative

    Banque Cramer & Cie SA, Geneva
    Deputy Director

    Curriculum vitae
  • Patricia Pradervand

    Patricia Pradervand

    Employee representative

    XO Investments SA, Neuchâtel
    Assistant to Director

    Curriculum vitae
  • Patrick Fournier

    Patrick Fournier

    Employer representative

    CPF Stratégie SA, Sion
    Director

    Curriculum vitae

Committees and governance

The Board of Trustees has set up two specialist committees to work on investment issues, monitor business on the basis of the resolutions of the Board of Trustees, and prepare decisions: the Investment Committee and an advisory office. Where necessary, the Board of Trustees can also call on the expertise of other specialists.

Investment Committee 

The Investment Committee comprises members of the Board of Trustees. It is responsible for implementing the investment strategy defined by the Board of Trustees. It also oversees the liquidity and investment plan and drafts the investment regulations.

Advisory office

The advisory office comprises members of the Board of Trustees. It oversees compliance with the statutory and contractual conditions and the regulations. Its role is advisory.

Management

The management represents the Foundation in external matters and is the operational representative of the Foundation.

  • Michèle Keller

    Michèle Keller

    Managing Director of AXA LPP Foundation Suisse Romande

    Michèle Keller was born in the French-speaking area of Switzerland and has been Managing Director of AXA LPP Foundation Suisse Romande since December 2019. Before that she was responsible for providing advice and support for pension brokers. During her long career, she has gained considerable specialist expertise in occupational pension provision and knows exactly what constitutes an attractive pension solution.