In recognition of the size, growth and strategic importance of its Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa operations to Willis Group Holdings, Willis International, the international retail unit of the global insurance broker, has announced the creation of three regional business units under new and expanded leadership.
Willis Asia will now be led by Adam Garrard as ceo, while Roger Wilkinson has been appointed as chairman, Willis Australasia. Willis’ Middle East and Africa business will continue to be led by regional ceo Scott Pickering who is also ceo, Willis South Africa. Wilkinson, Garrard and Pickering will all report to Tim Wright, ceo, Willis International.
Wilkinson will relocate from Hong Kong to Sydney for his new role. He will join Willis Australasia CEO Pieter Lindhout on 1st October.
New Zealander Wilkinson joined Willis in 2005 after a 32-year career at Marsh where he had a number of senior management roles in the Asia Pacific. At Willis, he led the broker’s Asia operations for five years before being appointed CEO of the Asia Pacific unit. In recognition of Roger and his team’s achievements, Willis Asia was named "Broker of the Year" at the Asia Insurance Industry Awards in 2011. In his new role, he will work with Lindhout to oversee 350 Associates in nine offices across Australasia.
Wright said “Roger has been instrumental in tripling the size of our Asia business over the past seven years. His appointment to Willis Australasia underscores the importance of the region to our business.”
Adam Garrard, currently ceo of Willis Continental Europe, will relocate from London to Singapore to take up his new role on 1st September. In Asia, he will oversee over 1,000 Associates in 42 offices across 11 countries. Willis’ European businesses will report directly to Wright until a replacement is found.
Garrard joined Willis in 1994 and was Managing Director of Willis Asia Pacific from 2002 to 2005, where he was instrumental in setting up Willis’ China business that now has 21 offices, making it the largest domestic network of all the global brokers. Garrard also led Willis’ Australasian business from 2005 to 2008, before being appointed ceo of Willis Continental Europe in 2009.
Commenting on Garrard’s new assignment, Wright said “Adam has done an outstanding job in Europe, growing our business despite the economic turmoil. His 18 years of experience across many parts of Willis International positions him extremely well to lead one of our fastest-growing businesses.”
In his role as regional ceo for Willis’ Middle East and Africa business, Scott Pickering is working closely with Willis’ Associate company Gras Savoye, the leading French broker, to grow the Group’s joint African footprint which already covers 23 countries on the continent.
Wright said of Willis’ increased focus on the Middle East and Africa “South Africa is consistently one of our fastest-growing operations and we see the country as a gateway to the wider African continent. The Middle East is another high-growth region that requires dedicated leadership, under Scott, to maximize on our business opportunities there.”
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