Distinguished Moderator and Panelists Will Share Real-Time Insights During Interactive Program, 'Retirement Crisis: Now What?'

NEW YORK, March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company announced today that it will host a free thought leadership forum, 'Retirement Crisis: Now What?' on April 21, 2009, in New York City. The 90-minute program, featuring a distinguished group of industry experts, will focus on financial challenges that have followed a year-long period of unprecedented market volatility.

'There's no question that virtually everyone is being affected in one way or another by one of the most severe recessions in generations,' said Christopher M. 'Kip' Condron, chairman and chief executive officer of AXA Equitable. 'We're pleased to offer an educational forum where not only issues will be raised, but more importantly, where thoughts and ideas will be shared about how retirement strategies are likely to evolve.'

Program participants include:

• Moderator, Amy Feldman -- Amy Feldman is an associate editor at BusinessWeek in New York. Ms. Feldman covers retirement, tax, investing and other personal finance issues. Prior to joining BusinessWeek last summer, she was a senior writer for Money, the Wall Street columnist for the New York Daily News and a staff writer for Forbes.
• Panelist, Peter Brady, Ph.D. -- Peter Brady is a senior economist for the Investment Company Institute. Mr. Brady studies the role of mutual funds in the retirement market, analyzing developments in the defined contribution and IRA markets. He has worked at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, as well as previously at the Federal Reserve Board.
• Panelist, Eric Chaney -- Eric Chaney is chief economist for AXA Group. Mr. Chaney provides economic research on macro trends and risks for the company and its entities. He was previously chief economist for Europe for Morgan Stanley. Mr. Chaney is a regular columnist for international publications, including Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal.
• Panelist, Pamela Perun -- Pamela Perun, policy director for the Initiative on Financial Security for the Aspen Institute, is a lawyer and psychologist who is an expert on retirement income policy issues.