Willis Japan Appoints Enomoto New Retail CEO

Willis Group Holdings has appointed Yoshihide ‘Dean’ Enomoto as President and CEO of its retail brokerage business in Japan. The announcement coincides with news that the global insurance broker has opened a second Japanese office in Osaka to service the electronics sector and other rapidly expanding industries throughout the Kansai region of Western Japan.

Enomoto is based in Willis’ Tokyo office. He joins Willis after a 14-year career at Aon where he was Chairman of Aon Japan and Managing Director of Aon Global Japan, after running Aon’s Japan Group in Chicago. He also handled the Japanese business of broker Alexander & Alexander USA, working in both Chicago and Los Angeles. His career started in 1983 at CIGNA Insurance Japan.

Roger Wilkinson, Chairman & CEO, Willis Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa welcomed Enomoto to Willis, indicating that his “extensive international experience and his excellent knowledge of the local marketplace will enable him to lead our push for growth in Japan, where we are investing significantly in our people and presence.”

To further bolster Willis’ position in Japan, the broker has also recently appointed several new producers, brokers, risk engineers and analysts.

Shinichiro ‘Sebastian’ Sekine, former Branch Manager of Aon’s Osaka office, has joined Willis to lead the new office and to spearhead the development of Willis’ relationships in the Kansai region which includes Osaka, and nearby Kobe and Kyoto.

Enomoto explained: “Many global companies have set up their headquarters in the Kansai area and are looking for the kind of global risk management expertise that Willis can now deliver locally via our Osaka team. This of course works well in reverse for Japanese companies looking to expand abroad.”

He also said the office, under Sekine’s leadership, would focus on “Property & Casualty and Marine insurance business, in addition to Energy and Employee Benefits opportunities. We will also continue to provide clients with innovative Earthquake and Business Interruption coverage.”

As part of the management change, former Willis Japan Retail CEO Takeshi Kai has taken on a new position as Director and Deputy CEO of Willis’ Japanese reinsurance operation. He will be working closely with the CEO of Willis Re Japan, James Beedle.

Source: Willis Group Holdings

Topics Agencies Aon Japan