Richard V. Silver AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, a leading innovator in life insurance and retirement savings products, announced four new executive appointments.

The board elected Andrew McMahon as president of its Financial Protection and Wealth Management business, James Shepherdson as president of its Retirement Savings business, and Richard V. Silver as chief administrative officer and chief legal officer. The three executives, along with Richard Dziadzio, chief financial officer, were also elected as senior executive vice presidents of AXA Equitable. All four, previously executive vice presidents, will continue to report to Christopher M. “Kip” Condron, chairman and chief executive officer of AXA Equitable.

Mr. Silver will oversee Information Technology; Central Marketing, Innovation and Communications; External Affairs; and the Strategic Initiatives Group. He will continue to be responsible for the Law Department and the Funds Management Group.

Mr. Silver joined AXA Equitable as an attorney in 1986. From 1991 through 1994, he was president and chief operating officer of AXA Advisors. He returned to the Law Department in 1995 and held a series of management positions, becoming general counsel of AXA Equitable in 1999 and executive vice president and general counsel of AXA Financial in 2001. Before joining AXA Equitable, Mr. Silver was a vice president and senior securities attorney with a subsidiary of Merrill Lynch. He began his career at the law firm of Cahill Gordon & Reindel. Mr. Silver earned a B.A. in government from St. John’s University and a J.D. from St. John’s University Law School.