Jean Drouffe (pictured above), CEO of AXA Singapore, passed away on Dec. 17 after a year-long battle with cancer. He was 47.

Drouffe was appointed CEO of AXA Singapore in 2017, having held various senior management roles in the AXA Group across Asia and Europe since 2000, including chief risk officer and chief finance officer of AXA UK.

“As some of you knew, Jean was battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer,” AXA Asia and Africa CEO Gordon Watson said in a LinkedIn post. “He tackled this with the typical courage and determination we had come to know from him.”

AXA Singapore chief financial officer Mauricio Coarasa will serve as interim CEO, subject to regulatory approval. The life and general insurance business units will continue to be led by Li Choo Kwek-Perroy, managing director, life and Julien Callard, managing director, retail and health, respectively.

“Our thoughts are with his family and friends, as well as with his colleagues in Singapore, Malaysia and all across AXA, where he led a terrific career and forged many friendships,” Watson said. “His leadership style was an inspiration for everyone at AXA. We have lost a leader who demonstrated kindness, positivity and the ability to bring excitement to every project and endeavour he took on. We will keep him in our hearts and memories.”