Willis Towers Watson confirms restructure and leadership changes

Willis Towers Watson (WTW) not only has a new global leadership team but is also restructuring the business.

Starting next year, the group will operate under a two-segment structure. Effective January 01, the two segments are health, wealth & career and risk & broking. Currently and until then, WTW consists of four segments – human capital & benefits; corporate risk & broking; investment, risk & reinsurance; and benefits delivery & administration.

Operations are also split into three geographies – Europe, international, and North America.

The new global leadership team under chief executive John Haley and president Carl Hess comprises the following leaders:

• Kristy Banas – chief human resources officer
• Anne Bodnar – chief administrative officer
• Marco Boschetti – head of retirement for health, wealth & career segment
• Scott Burnett – chief commercial officer, risk & broking
• Alexis Faber – chief operating officer
• Matt Furman – general counsel
• Adam Garrard – head of risk & broking
• Julie Gebauer – head of health, wealth & career
• Katherine Gehman – head of marketing
• Cecil Hemingway – head of transformation
• Andrew Krasner – chief financial officer
• Luis Maurette – head of sales and client management (risk & broking) and head of Latin America (under international)
• Eric McMurray – head of health and benefits (health, wealth & career)
• John Merkovsky – head of corporate risk and broking risk consulting, analytics; as well as corporate risk and broking global large account strategy leader
• Anne Pullum – head of Europe
• Imran Qureshi – head of North America
• Pam Rollins – head of communication
• Alastair Swift – head of global lines of business (risk & broking); as well as CEO of Willis Limited
• Pamela Thomson-Hall – head of international
• Gene Wickes – head of benefits delivery and administration (health, wealth & career)

Subject to regulatory and other approvals, Swift is succeeding Nicolas Aubert as chief executive of Willis Limited, the group’s principal UK-regulated entity. Aubert, who is also head of Great Britain and has been with WTW since 2015, will continue in his roles during a transition period, after which he is leaving to pursue new interests. Further details of the departure were not disclosed.

Meanwhile, it was also announced that Joe Gunn and John Bremen are taking on “critical” new posts. Gunn will become chair of corporate risk and broking North America, while Bremen has been tapped to develop a new corporate function called “innovation & acceleration”.

Haley, who will serve as CEO before passing on the baton to Hess, described the new management as highly accomplished leaders who “embody the true spirit” of one WTW.

“This global leadership team consists of voices across our geographies, segments, and functions,” said the outgoing boss. “We believe this balanced approach strengthens teamwork, fosters collaboration, enables us to make better decisions, and leads to faster execution once a decision is made.

“Willis Towers Watson is well positioned to compete vigorously and innovate quickly across our businesses around the world.”