New Management for Willis Japan

Willis Group Holdings announced that Shoji Ohashi has joined the international broker as the new Representative Director and Chairman of Willis Japan Holdings KK, and Yoshiki Yamamoto is the new Director and CEO of Willis Japan Holdings KK. Ohashi will report to John McDonnell the Chairman of the Japan Global Practice Group.

Chairman and CEO Joe Plumeri welcomed the two men to their new posts, noting that they are “two of the biggest names in the Japanese insurance industry,” and are looking forward to strengthening Willis’ presence in the Japanese market.

The bulletin noted that Michael Abbott, the outgoing Chairman and Managing Director of Willis Japan Holdings KK, who has served in the post for three years, “is returning to London to take up a new role within Willis International.”

Ohashi joins Willis after retiring from his position as Chairman of Marsh Japan at the end of 2004, where “he was responsible for the development of indigenous business, including overseas investment by Japanese corporations and incoming business from American and European multinationals,” said the announcement. In addition to his brokerage experience, Ohashi, is also familiar with the “carrier side due to his time spent as a Chief Representative of the Nashville office of Nissan Fire & Marine Insurance company (U.S.A), now Sompo Japan after the merger with Yasuda Fire and Marine.”

Yamamoto also began his career at Nissan Fire & Marine both in Japan and the US. He went on to become Senior Vice President in the Global Risk Management Department of Marsh Japan where he was charged primarily with business development in the automotive industry.

Willis further explained that the “move to strengthen Willis’ retail operations in Japan follows a recent office relocation in Tokyo which saw the centralization of four of the Group’s Japanese entities into one office in the Toranomon Kotohira Tower in the Toranomon business district.”

Source: Willis – www.willis.com

Topics Japan