LONDON, July 8, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Willis Group (NYSE:WSH), the global risk adviser, insurance and reinsurance broker, today announced the appointment of David Martin to the newly-created role of Global Leader of Placement. Steve Hearn, Deputy CEO of Willis Group, will assume the role of CEO of Willis Insurance UK.
Both of these appointments reflect the Group's strategy of 'Connecting Willis', a major initiative announced to investors and the market in July 2013, to create a new and collaborative model of client service, ensuring that Willis teams bring clients the very best of the firm's services seamlessly, in every situation.
Martin, who has most recently served as CEO of Willis Insurance UK, will now lead Willis' insurance placement activity worldwide. In this role, he will work closely with the firm's global network of placement leaders, including Gianmarco Tosti, the newly-appointed Head of Placement for Willis International, Matt Keeping, Head of Placement for Willis North America, Seth Peller, Global Head of Casualty, Gerry Tollan, Chief Growth Officer - Specialty, and David Thomas, CEO of Market Services and Solutions. Martin will also oversee the development of Willis' proprietary global placing system, WillPLACE.
Before joining Willis in January 2013, Martin held senior roles at Zurich and AON. Hearn, who was appointed Deputy Group CEO in 2012 and has also held leadership roles in Willis' Global and Reinsurance businesses, will lead the firm's UK-based retail and global specialty operations as it continues to concentrate on matching UK client needs with Willis' world-class specialty expertise.
Dominic Casserley, CEO of Willis Group, commented:
"The integration of our UK retail and global specialty businesses, which David has led this year, has been one of the key pillars of our global drive to bring the best of Willis' risk advisory and broking capabilities to all of our clients. David's pivotal role in driving connectivity at Willis, alongside his wealth of retail and specialty experience as both carrier and broker, gives him the unique blend of leadership skills, technical know-how and market perspective to drive the development of our global placement capabilities and services."
Casserley continued:
"Steve, as one of the architects of the Connecting Willis programme, is ideally-placed to lead the continued drive to transform the way we serve our clients, including those in the UK market, exploiting the many synergies between our business units for the benefit of our clients."
About Willis
Willis Group Holdings plc is a leading global risk adviser, insurance and reinsurance broker. With roots dating to 1828, Willis operates today on every continent with more than 18,000 employees in over 400 offices. Willis offers its clients superior expertise, teamwork, innovation and market-leading products and professional services in risk management and transfer. Our experts rank among the world's leading authorities on analytics, modelling and mitigation strategies at the intersection of global commerce and extreme events. Find more information at our website, www.willis.com, our leadership journal, Resilience, or our up-to-the-minute blog on breaking news, WillisWire. Across geographies, industries and specialisms, Willis provides its local and multinational clients with resilience for a risky world.