Willis Makes Asia, India Employee Benefits Appointments

In a move which it indicated highlights the “the importance of its burgeoning Employee Benefits business in Asia,” Willis Group Holdings announced the appointment of Pauline Prescott as Employee Benefits Leader for Willis Asia, and Naveen Kumar Midha as Employee Benefits Leader for Willis India.

Prescott, who has over 20 years of international financial services and insurance industry experience, joins Willis from American International Group (AIG) Life where she was most recently Regional Vice President of Southeast Asia with responsibility for the Accident & Health operations in six countries. She is based in Hong Kong, and will also fulfil the dual role of Sales Leader for the region, reporting directly in both capacities to Roger Wilkinson, Managing Director of Willis Asia.

Midha, who has a 13-year financial services career, joins Willis from Marsh where he was Assistant Vice President for Marsh India’s Employee Benefits team. He also worked for Hewitt Associates in India as the Lead Healthcare Consultant. He will be reporting to Ms. Prescott and Giles Beale, CEO of Willis India.

Commenting on the appointments, Greg Arms, Chairman and CEO of Willis’ Global Employee Benefits Practice, noted Prescott’s “excellent business-building track record of generating new sales, enhancing client retention and introducing value-added solutions.” He also singled out Midha’s “outstanding local knowledge and expertise,” as a positive factor in its efforts to “to build up our EB presence in India.”

Sarah Turvill, Chairman, Willis International and CEO, Emerging Markets commented: “Asia is a high growth market with huge sales potential especially in the area of Employee Benefits. With strong leaders like Pauline and Naveen we hope to significantly increase our business in the region giving clients local access to Willis’ global resources.”

Source: Willis – www.willis.com