Willis Boosts Communications Team with Colleen McCarthy as Director of Communications, Willis North America

Published on Friday, 03 September 2010 17:40 Written by TradersHuddle Staff

NEW YORK-( Business Wire )-

Willis North America, a unit of Willis Group Holdings (NYSE: WSH), the global insurance broker, announced that Colleen McCarthy has joined the company as director of communications for Willis North America. Ms. McCarthy will be based in New York City.

In her new role, Ms. McCarthy will oversee internal, external and digital communications for the company’s North American unit. Willis North America offers insurance brokerage and risk management advisory services in all 50 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico, and comprises over 6,000 Associates. The unit effectively doubled in size with the 2008 acquisition of Hilb, Rogal and Hobbs (HRH). As part of Willis’ communications team, Ms. McCarthy will support Don Bailey, Chairman and CEO of Willis North America, and his management team and the regions and practices of the unit.

Ms. McCarthy has extensive journalism and communications experience, and joins Willis from Business Insurance, a leading commercial insurance trade publication, where she was an Associate Editor. In this role, Ms. McCarthy reported on all aspects of the commercial insurance industry and most recently covered the brokerage sector. In addition, Ms. McCarthy produced video reports and other online multi-media content for the magazine. Previously, Ms. McCarthy was a television reporter and news anchor at various news outlets in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

“The people of Willis North America are leaders in their communities. The expertise and service they offer small, medium and large-sized companies helps those enterprises manage their risks, take care of their employees, grow their businesses and contribute to the rebound of our economy,” said Bailey. “Colleen brings to Willis a keen journalist’s sense and deep insurance industry knowledge to telling this important story.”

“In the B-to-B space in an information-cluttered age, companies must develop creative ways to send their message to all audiences,” said Joshua King, Senior Vice President, Group Marketing and Communications for Willis. “In her broadcast, print and online reporting assignments, Colleen emerged as a skilled practitioner of the new age of digital communications. We look forward to her applying those same techniques at Willis.”

Ms. McCarthy earned her B.A. from Northeastern University.

Ms. McCarthy can be reached at 212-915-8307 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Note to Editors: A photograph of Ms. McCarthy is available on request.

About Willis

Willis Group Holdings is a leading global insurance broker. Through its subsidiaries, Willis develops and delivers professional insurance, reinsurance, risk management, financial and human resource consulting and actuarial services to corporations, public entities and institutions around the world. Willis has more than 400 offices in nearly 120 countries, with a global team of approximately 17,000 employees serving clients in virtually every part of the world. Additional information on Willis may be found at www.willis.com.

WillisMedia:Ingrid Booth, +44 203 1247182boothi@willis.comorInvestors:Kerry K. Calaiaro, +1 212 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.