View this article online: https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2016/01/15/395214.htm
Willis Towers Watson announced that Rowan Douglas, head of Willis Towers Watson’s Capital Science & Policy Practice, has been made a CBE in the United Kingdom’s New Year Honours List for services to the economy through risk, insurance and sustainable growth.
The CBE, or Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, is one of the U.K.’s highest national honours, bestowed by The Queen for distinguished service and innovation in any field, Willis Towers Watson said in a statement to announce the honor.
Douglas has been recognised for his inspirational influence promoting the role of re/insurance related capabilities to confront major social and economic issues. In recent years, his work has focused on the global challenge of resilience to natural catastrophes, climate risks and sustainable development through formal engagement in recent United Nations agreements and pending reforms to international financial regulation and corporate risk disclosure. Most recently, in 2015, Douglas was elected as the founding co-chair of the Insurance Development Forum (IDF).
Over the years, Douglas has also played a leading role in the analytical revolution that has supported the re/insurance sector’s resilience, as founder of the risk information company WIRE, CEO of Willis Re Global Analytics, and chairman of the Willis Research Network. He has served on the U.K. Prime Minister’s Council for Science & Technology, the Natural Environment Research Council and working groups of the Royal Society.
Douglas began his career in 1992 as a reinsurance underwriter at Syndicate 1095 in Lloyd’s. In 2014 he received the Kenneth R Black, Distinguished Service Award from the International Insurance Society, New York.
John Haley, CEO of Willis Towers Watson, said: “Rowan has been driving innovation through Willis Towers Watson and the global industry since he joined our firm in 2000. This high recognition is richly deserved for his significant achievements over the years and we warmly congratulate him on the past and look forward to the future. This award is a powerful reminder of our values and the growing responsibility the re/insurance industry will have confronting risk and building a more resilient and sustainable future.”
Dominic Casserley, Willis Towers Watson president and Deputy CEO, added: “It has been a great pleasure to work closely with Rowan on our global agenda to confront the growing resilience deficit. His deep respect among business, finance and policy leaders and unwavering commitment provides him with a unique ability to shape the response to some of the greatest challenges of risk and resilience. We are enormously proud of Rowan’s work and his recognition with a CBE is at once remarkable and thoroughly well deserved.”
Douglas commented: “This honour reflects the collective efforts of many friends and colleagues from Willis Towers Watson and beyond over the years. As we enter 2016 it is humbling to have this work recognised by the initials CBE and thrilling to have its future empowered by the initials WTW.
He continued: “Following the global agreements of 2015, we are now facing a global resilience revolution and world leaders recognise the expertise, experience and capabilities of the re/insurance sector lies at the heart of it. I am delighted this award came as Willis Towers Watson was formed: our remarkable new company provides the complete platform to deliver on these future needs for the companies, countries and communities we serve.”
Source: Willis Towers Watson