Michael Downing

Mike Downing is Co-President of Athene USA and Chief Operating Officer of Athene Holding. His leadership positions Athene to grow efficiently, execute against its growth strategy, and deliver for customers in a highly competitive market.

Since joining the company in 2015, Mike has been instrumental in building the operating platform that underpins Athene’s record growth and industry leadership. He is a key architect of Athene’s cost-structure advantage, product breadth and innovation, and ability to meet rising demand for retirement income solutions.

Mike’s commitment to innovation and expanding access to guaranteed income is reflected in his industry advocacy. At his direction, Athene spearheads industry-wide initiatives to modernize the annuity experience, such as the advancement of digital processing capabilities that improve speed, transparency, and accessibility for customers and distribution partners.

Previously Mike served as Athene’s Executive Vice President and Chief Actuary, where he oversaw financial reporting, product development, inforce management, and pricing across all business channels. He was appointed Chief Operating Officer in 2022, expanding his mandate to enterprise-wide operations and strategic execution.

Before joining Athene, Mike held senior executive roles at The Allstate Corporation. Previously, he was a Senior Partner at Aon Hewitt, leading the International Consulting practice following assignments in the United Kingdom and Switzerland.

Mike holds a B.A. degree in mathematics from Gustavus Adolphus College. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, and he currently serves on the boards of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, ChildServe, the Federation of Iowa Insurers, the Insured Retirement Institute, and LIMRA.