WTW, an advisory, broking, and solutions firm, has named Aon’s James Baum as the Head of Australia and New Zealand and the Head of Corporate Risk & Broking (CRB) for these regions, starting on July 15.
Simon Weaver will continue his duties as WTW Head of Asia Pacific and Head of CRB for Asia Pacific.
Pamela Thomson-Hall, WTW Head of International and Head of Risk & Broking International, said: “I am delighted to have someone of James’s calibre join WTW. This appointment speaks to the company’s ability to attract market-leading talent.”
“James is a seasoned leader with over 30 years of experience and has a proven track record of supporting growth and managing business operations. We’ve made tremendous progress and built great foundations for growth in Australasia in recent years, thanks to Simon Weaver, and now with James’s leadership, we are poised to take this to the next level.”
Highly regarded in the industry and the markets he has worked in, Baum most recently served at re/insurance broker Aon. Over his 18-year tenure there, he held several leadership positions, including Global Head of Wholesale & Specialty Broking, CEO of Australia, and Chief Broking Officer for the Pacific region. Before joining Aon, James spent more than 12 years at Marsh and Sedgwick.
Baum commented: “I am excited to be joining WTW at a time of significant growth and opportunity in Australasia. WTW is well positioned to compete in the market – the company is winning new business and bringing the best solutions and talent to serve the people, risk and capital needs of clients.
“With its strong global brand, client-first passion and ambition to grow, I am looking forward to being part of this next phase and seeing WTW in Australasia realise its full potential for our clients and colleagues alike,” further added Baum.
Weaver continued: “Our value proposition around risk and specialisms is gaining significant traction with clients across Australasia, which is a testament to the quality of our people.”
“With James’ deep knowledge and experience in the region, I am confident that he will supercharge our growth and fulfill our ambition to build a sustainable and thriving business for the benefit of our clients and colleagues.”
