Aon plc named Eric Andersen as president of Aon, reporting to Greg Case, the firm’s CEO.
Since May 2018, Andersen and Michael O’Connor had served as Aon co-presidents. Aon said O’Connor is departing Aon to pursue new opportunities after 12 years with the firm.
Andersen, 55, has served in several important leadership positions throughout his 22-year career at Aon, including as CEO of Aon Benfield and prior to that as CEO of Aon Risk Solutions Americas, said Aon in a statement. Most recently, Andersen served as co-president of Aon with direct responsibility for the EMEA and Latin American regions, as well as the global Reinsurance and Retirement solution lines.
Andersen will lead an internal and external search to appoint regional CEOs who will be accountable for going to market as one, fully-integrated firm in each of its four regions – North America, Latin America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, added Aon.
Regional leadership teams will work across solution lines to ensure the best of the firm reaches clients and will collaborate with global solution line leaders to set the firm’s enterprise-wide solution development priorities, explained the broker.
“The shift to a fully integrated model is consistent with Aon’s emphasis on delivering the best of the firm to clients and a natural next step in its decade-long evolution into a leading global professional services firm,” said Aon in a statement. Previous structural changes include the broker’s adoption of a single P&L structure, the move to a single Aon brand and the creation of a single operating committee.
“Our firm has made tremendous progress in our Aon United journey, but there is still so much we can and will accomplish together,” said Aon CEO Greg Case. “Eric is a true believer in the power of Aon United and passionate about the value it creates for clients. His leadership will be critical in fulfilling the potential of one firm.” (The “Aon United” program, which has been operational since 2010, aims to harness the company’s global capabilities for its clients).
“I’m energized by the opportunity to work more closely with Greg to further align our team around the Aon United Blueprint,” Andersen said. “Our colleagues are experiencing the client value that comes with working together more closely across solution lines and geographies and I am committed to building on that momentum.”
In addition, Aon announced that John Bruno will take on the additional role of chief operating officer of Aon, reporting to Case. In that capacity, he will continue to lead development of the firm’s Aon Business Services platform. Bruno, 54, will also continue as CEO of Data & Analytic Services and add the firm’s technology-enabled Affinity offerings to that portfolio.
Aon also announced that Liam Caffrey, CEO of Affinity, is leaving Aon to pursue opportunities outside the firm.
“We will continue to accelerate the application of new technologies to drive growth and make it easier for our colleagues to help clients make better decisions,” Case said. “[John Bruno’s] experience as a technologist and business leader gives him a unique appreciation for how we can apply technology to increase operating leverage that powers the Aon United Blueprint and delivers more value to clients.”
Commenting on O’Connor’s career contributions, Case said, “Mike was an early advocate of Aon United and has built a lasting legacy in his time at Aon. I’m personally grateful to Mike for always putting clients first and for his tireless efforts to execute on their behalf. We are a better firm because of his leadership and I wish him all the best as he begins a new and exciting chapter of his impressive career.”
Case also recognized Liam Caffrey for his contributions. “Liam has played several high-impact finance and operational roles in his time at Aon. I wish him all the best as he explores opportunities outside the firm and am grateful for the strong team he built in our global Affinity business,” he went on to say.
All the changes announced will be effective March 1.
Source: Aon
*This story appeared previously in our sister publication Insurance Journal.