Willis Appoints Messer Regional Leader for Latin American Aviation
Willis Group Holdings announced the appointment of Thomas Messer as Regional Leader of aviation in Latin America with immediate effect.
Messer joined Willis in 2002 and has served in a variety of roles within the aerospace re/insurance market – most recently with a particular focus on clients in the Latin America region. In his new role, based in Miami, he will oversee insurance and risk management solutions for Willis clients in the region – including aerospace companies, airlines, airports and general aviation.
John Rooley, global CEO of Willis’s aerospace business, noted that Latin America has “seen a surge in economic growth over the past two decades and it is currently one of the top performing economic regions in the world.”
He also explained that Willis’s “clients in Latin America are increasingly looking for more sophisticated risk management solutions.” He said Messer, “with the support of Willis’s local offices and our global risk and insurance capabilities, will focus on servicing our clients in the region – particularly large corporate accounts.”
Ed Fyfe, leader of Willis’s large account practice in Latin America, commented: “Companies who are confident in their risk management capabilities have the self-assurance to be more enterprising and seize the opportunities in a rapidly expanding market. While innovative risk transfer solutions can help improve resilience, new and emerging analytics can improve forecasting and risk assessments, helping companies make more informed decisions about how they treat risk. To capture the opportunities that this dynamic and exciting region has to offer, companies need to partner with experts who can help them manage today’s risks and build resilience in their organizations to withstand tomorrow’s unexpected shocks.”
Messer added: “The aviation sector in Latin America is enjoying exponential growth. Airline capacity in markets across the region, for example, has grown between 5 percent and 10 percent year-on-year for the past several years. As the population expands, and more and more people choose to travel by air, this growth will continue, provided the infrastructure is there to support it. But as the sector expands – new risks are emerging – and these require innovative and tailor made approaches to risk management.”
Source: Willis Group Holdings