Aon forms global partnership with Unilever

Aon has been appointed the exclusive broker and consultant of Unilever's worldwide business lines.

The three-year contract will see Unilever benefit from Aon's core strengths including risk managmement consultanting, insurance brokerage and human capital benefits consulting.

“This collaboration and integrated approach clearly demonstrates the significant depth and breadth of resources that Aon can bring to a major organisation such as Unilever,” Steve McGill, chairman and chief executive officer of Aon Risk Services said.

Unilever is expected to leverage Aon’s relationships with the marketplace by pooling all local insurance and employee benefits together with core global programs, allowing Unilever to reduce dependency on its own capital as well as benefit from bulk-buying opportunities and service efficiencies around the world.

“It’s obviously prudent to have a practical and well-organised approach to risk management,” Pascal Visee, group treasurer for Unilever said. “An arrangement like this helps enable us to keep our business simple, while leaving experts like Aon to deliver our insurance and benefits needs worldwide and ensure compliance with all corporate governance standards.”

Andrew Appel, chairman of Aon Consulting, added: “By combining the expertise of Aon’s risk and human capital consulting units, Unilever will receive a complete risk management solution on a global scale.”

Meanwhile, Aon has promoted two of the insurance industry's leading businesswomen, Jane Kielty and Lisa Bartlett, to the roles of branch director in Manchester and Birmingham, respectively. Kielty and Bartlette have been client management directors for three years.

In Aon’s commercial insurance division, which services mid-large UK companies, they will be responsible for building the local profile of Aon, delivering client service, attracting new business and working alongside Aon’s other teams including pensions and benefits, professions and trade credit.