Willis Forms Global Placement Entity

Willis Group Holdings announced the formation of Willis Global Placement, which it described as a “dedicated entity that will coordinate worldwide placement strategy for the benefit of Willis clients. The new entity, which draws together the company’s placement professionals around the globe,” who will report to Grahame Millwater, President of Willis.

“The formation of Willis Global Placement follows from the success of Willis’ Shaping our Future Marketing project, which in 2008 demonstrated that achieving greater global coordination of Willis’ placement activities is in the best interest of its clients,” the announcement continued.

Willis’ said its “strategy is to use carriers that provide the best service to clients, consolidate certain books of business into facilities to give clients broader terms, and eliminate inefficiencies to allow Willis to trade more profitably with carriers.”

Millwater pointed out that “placement is at the very core of what we do. This is the natural evolution of the Shaping our Future Marketing project. We have looked carefully at the best way to enhance this function and we are convinced that dedicated coordination in this area will significantly benefit our clients.”

Willis said its Global Placement will be organized in two areas: “Willis Retail Placement, which will be responsible for regional placements that are transacted in local territories, and Willis Global Markets, responsible for global placement activities that are transacted via Willis offices in key insurance hubs such as London, Bermuda and Singapore.”

In connection with the formation of Willis Global Placement, the company announced the following appointments:
— Dominic Samengo-Turner is appointed Chief Executive of Global Placement and Chairman of Global Markets. In this role, Samengo-Turner will lead Willis’ placement strategy in both local markets and its key insurance hubs globally.
— Leslie Nylund is appointed Chief Placement Officer for North America and will report to Don Bailey, Chairman and Chief Executive of Willis HRH. Nylund also will report to Samengo-Turner in his capacity as Chief Executive of Global Placement.
— Tom Bartleet is appointed Chief Placement Officer for Willis International and will report to Sarah Turvill, Chairman of Willis International, with a matrix report to Samengo-Turner.
— Paul Maynard is appointed Chief Placement Officer for Willis UK and Ireland (WUKI) and will report to Brendan McManus, Chief Executive Officer of Willis UK and Ireland, with a matrix report to Samengo-Turner.
— Jonathan Prinn is appointed Chief Operating Officer of Global Placement, reporting to Samengo-Turner.
— David Atkinson is appointed Finance Director of Global Placement, reporting to Samengo-Turner.

Source: Willis Group Holdings – www.willis.com