London, United Kingdom - October 18, 2012, London, United Kingdom - Willis Group Holdings, a global insurance broker, announced that Dominic Casserley will serve as the next chief executive officer, effective January 7, 2013.
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Mr. Casserley is currently a senior partner of McKinsey & Company, which he joined in New York in 1983. During his 29-years at McKinsey, he has been based in the U.S. for 12 years, Asia for five and, since 2000, has been working across Europe from London. During his time at McKinsey, he led the firm’s Greater China Practice and its UK and Ireland Practice.
Mr. Casserley has been a member of McKinsey’s Shareholder Council, the firm’s global board, since 1999 and for four years served as the Chairman of the Finance Committee of that board. Mr. Casserley is a graduate of Cambridge University.
The company also announced that Steve Hearn, currently the Chairman and CEO of Willis Global, will serve as Deputy CEO of Willis Group.
Mr. Hearn was appointed Chairman and CEO of Willis Global in 2011. At the beginning of the last year he was appointed as CEO of Willis Re, where he was responsible for Willis Re’s worldwide operations. Prior to that he led Faber & Dumas, Global Markets International and Willis Facultative.
Since joining Willis in 2008 as a result of the HRH acquisition by Willis Group, Mr. Hearn has served as Chairman of Special Contingency Risk (SCR), the Willis specialty Kidnap & Ransom broker, Chairman of Willis Facultative and Chairman and CEO of Glencairn Limited, a London wholesale broker. He is a Director of Willis Limited.
Prior to joining HRH, Mr. Hearn was at Glencairn Limited. Following the company’s management buy out from Glenrand MIB he was appointed CEO in 2003. In 2005 he became Chairman & CEO of Glencairn Group Limited, comprising operations in London, Bermuda, Moscow, Brisbane and Johannesburg. He led the three-man team that sold the business to U.S. broking group HRH in 2007.
Earlier in his career Mr. Hearn was President & CEO of Marsh Affinity Europe, responsible for their Affinity operations. Prior to this he held a number of positions in client management, sales and P&L management at Marsh and Sedgwick Limited, including time in U.K. Commercial Lines Retail, Life & Pensions and, latterly, scheme and affinity business. He is a member of both the Willis Group’s Operating and Executive Committees, the senior management team setting and executing Willis’ global strategy.
The company also announced that Joseph J. Plumeri, who has served as Chairman and CEO of Willis Group since 2000, will serve as non-executive Chairman through July, 2013.
Mr. Plumeri is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Willis Group Holdings plc, appointed in October 2000 when Willis was privately owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. Prior to joining Willis, he had a 32-year career at Citigroup and its predecessor companies. He also served as Chairman and CEO of Travelers Primerica Financial Services, Vice Chairman of the Travelers Group, and President and Managing Partner of Shearson Lehman Brothers. ■