New body headed by Warren Downey
JLT has merged its UK regional broking arm with its London-based global risk business, leading to a number of senior staff departures.
Global Risk Solutions managing director Ron Hayes has been made redundant. Head of placement and servicing Christopher Tabbitt and sales and marketing leader Warren Dann also exit in the shake-up.
JLT will merge Regional Partnership and Global Risk Solutions (GRS) into a body with the working title of GRS Regional Partnership.
The newly-merged business will be headed up by current JLT Specialty chief operating officer Warren Downey.
JLT merged the businesses because it wants its regional offices to seek out more specialist business.
“Instead of being a jack of all trades, we wanted to be the masters of slightly fewer,” Downey said.
Nick Williams-Walker has slipped into Downey’s old shoes to become chief operating officer. Williams-Walker was previously a consultant.
Downey said there was “leadership fallout” from the restructure, but played down suggestions of further redundancies.
“When you bring two businesses together, there are inevitably personnel changes and movements in terms of how we staff and lead those businesses,” he said.
“From our perspective this is a reinvigorating and a merger of two businesses and an opportunity to invest.”
The business would look to increase its staff past the current head count of 200, he said.
The division has four offices, with plans to open at least two more. It is also keen to make acquisitions, Downey said.
The Regional Partnership arm has traditionally focused on the mid-market, while GRS was more specialist and looked at areas such as transport engineering, technology and FTSE 250 companies.
Downey’s first task will be to create a leadership team for the new division.
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