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Willis.com Media Room
Willis.com Media Room

• Glencairn to be the Cornerstone of a New Willis Wholesale Strategy
  

  Glencairn to be the Cornerstone of a New Willis Wholesale Strategy

  London, UK, September 11, 2008 - Glencairn, Hilb Rogal & Hobbs’ London-based operation, and Willis Group Holdings (NYSE: WSH), the global insurance broker, announced today plans to create a new third-party wholesale brokerage business, following the expected completion of Willis’ planned combination with HRH (NYSE: HRH) in the fourth quarter. Over the past months, Willis has been considering how best to grow their already successful third-party brokerages. The addition of specialist wholesale broker Glencairn, part of the pending HRH transaction, will provide the expertise and structure to promote this new platform.

  Glencairn will continue to trade as a separately run third-party London wholesale broker. The operation will focus on growing its revenue from international and US third-party intermediaries, direct clients and global ceding companies. It will continue to provide specialist wholesale services in a number of areas including property, accident & health, energy, construction, political risk, cargo and casualty lines.

  The existing Glencairn management team led by Steve Hearn, Chairman and CEO, will be responsible for the day-to-day management and future growth of its wholesale business.

  Hearn commented, “In the current market climate, this gives Glencairn’s staff and clients a unique opportunity. We will maintain our ability to trade independently but at the same time we gain valuable support and infrastructure to significantly enhance our service, brand and client base.”

  With the management of Glencairn, Willis have identified the opportunity to become the pre-eminent third-party broker with the creation of a separate business in the name of Faber & Dumas. The Faber & Dumas name has a long and proud history which dates back to 1928 when Willis was the leading London-based third party wholesale broker.

  Commenting on the creation of Faber & Dumas, Willis President Grahame Millwater said, “As a company, we are excited and committed to growing all available distribution channels. The Faber & Dumas platform will allow us to include other business from Willis’ existing third-party portfolio and other HRH wholesale business.”

  Outlining the Group’s plans for the UK, Willis Limited Chairman and CEO David Margrett, who will be Chairman of Faber & Dumas, said, “The London wholesale broking market is fragmented and we see a huge opportunity for consolidation by creating a financially secure, well-managed business for the benefit of clients, brokers and markets. We believe that we will become the employers of choice for specialty wholesale brokers in London.”

  Willis Group Holdings Limited is a leading global insurance broker, developing and delivering professional insurance, reinsurance, risk management, financial and human resource consulting and actuarial services to corporations, public entities and institutions around the world. Willis has more than 300 offices in some 100 countries, with a global team of approximately 16,000 Associates serving clients in some 190 countries. Additional information on Willis may be found at www.willis.com.

• Willis Re Director Appointed to Natural Environment Research Council
  

  Willis Re Director Appointed to Natural Environment Research Council
  - The City Gains Voice on UK Environmental Science Policy-

  London, UK, September 09, 2008 – Willis Re, the reinsurance arm of global broker Willis Group Holdings (NYSE:WSH), said today that Rowan Douglas, Managing Director of Analytics for Willis Re’s International and Specialty divisions and Chairman of the Willis Research Network, has been appointed to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) by UK Science Minister Ian Pearson. Douglas’s appointment underscores the growing trend of the business and scientific communities working more closely together on the issue of global climate change.

  With an annual budget of around £400 million, NERC is the largest funder of worldclass environmental science research in UK universities and its own research centres. Its strategic goal is to deliver world-leading environmental research at the frontiers of knowledge, enabling society to respond to global climate change and the increasing pressures on natural resources. It contributes to UK leadership in predicting the regional and local impacts of environmental change, and creates and supports integrated research communities.

  Mr Douglas leads the international analytical group at Willis, which evaluates the frequency, severity and impact of natural disasters and develops private and public sector approaches to share the costs of extreme events across populations. He is also Chairman of the Willis Research Network, the world’s largest collaboration between academia and the insurance industry, sponsoring posts in atmospheric, hydrological and seismic risk at universities throughout Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific.

  Ed Wallis, Chairman of NERC, said, “Mr Douglas’ years of dealing with knowledge exchange and the financial services industry, along with the other new members, brings a range of diverse skills and expertise that will help us to deliver our strategic goals.”

  Rowan Douglas commented, “Science and the City are two of the UK’s leading strengths and it is a privilege to be appointed to NERC to help advance the working relationship between the two communities. Environmental and financial systems are intricately interconnected with natural catastrophes and environmental change. In the context of the growing social and economic challenges in living with environmental change, we should align the work of these two communities wherever appropriate. I look forward to bringing knowledge and experience gained from the insurance industry to the Council.”

  Willis Group Holdings Limited is a leading global insurance broker, developing and delivering professional insurance, reinsurance, risk management, financial and human resource consulting and actuarial services to corporations, public entities and institutions around the world. Willis has more than 300 offices in some 100 countries, with a global team of approximately 16,000 Associates serving clients in some 190 countries. Additional information on Willis may be found at www.willis.com.

  Full details of the announcement are available at http://www.nerc.ac.uk/press/releases/2008/45-council.asp

  Details on NERC may be found at http://www.nerc.ac.uk/publications/corporate/documents/nercfacts08.pdf

   

• Willis Holds Environmental Risk Webinar ‛In Search of the Global Pollution Solution’ Set For September 17
  

  Sep 09, 2008

  leadership and consultative advice to its clients, Willis Group Holdings (NYSE: WSH), the global insurance broker, will host a webcast on Wednesday, September 17, 2008, at 11:00 a.m., Eastern Time, to examine global environmental liability management. The webinar will provide important information to global risk managers who are reassessing the adequacy of their current insurance programs in the face of rapidly changing environmental liability laws, regulations and protocols. “As business becomes more global, and companies continue to expand their operations into new territories, they face an array of new risk considerations,” said Mike Balmer, leader of the Willis Environmental Practice. “Environmental risk has become one of the most prominent concerns as policy and legislative regimes across the globe continue to evolve and become more stringent. This webinar will help risk managers make sense of all the changes and provide advice on developing appropriate risk management strategies.” Led by Balmer, the webcast will include invited guests John Watson, Chairman of the Environmental Practice Group at the international law firm Baker & McKenzie, and Karl Russek, Senior Vice President, Environmental Risk, ACE Overseas General. Key questions that will be explored include: • How can I assess how regulatory changes will affect my company’s business, especially cross-border operations? • How can I incorporate local risk management requirements into a comprehensive environmental risk management strategy at a corporate level? • What are the legislative and economic issues that have driven growth of the environmental insurance market? • What are some of the important considerations when structuring a global environmental insurance program? Those who will benefit from the webcast include Risk Managers, Claims Managers, Treasurers, CFOs, and those who desire to obtain a deeper understanding of environmental risk management and insurance. Interested parties may access the webcast and accompanying PowerPoint presentation via http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol-eventDet