Aon plc, a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions, is accelerating alignment and momentum around its Aon United growth strategy with a series of actions that support bringing the best of Aon to clients and driving sustainable growth of the firm.
Eric Andersen is named President of Aon, reporting to Greg Case, the firm’s CEO, as Aon continues to accelerate execution on its Aon United Blueprint. 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. 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.
Michael O’Connor has decided to pursue new opportunities after a highly accomplished 12-year career with the firm. Andersen and O’Connor previously served as Aon Co-Presidents since May 2018.
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. Previous structural changes, including the adoption of a single P&L structure, the move to a single Aon brand and the creation of a single operating committee laid the groundwork for this important step and remain critical going forward.
“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.”
Most recently, Aon has entered a new phase of its Aon United growth strategy with the rollout of a single colleague mission called the Aon Impact Model, the scaling of its Delivering Aon United client value and sales effectiveness program, the development of the Aon Business Services platform to improve delivery of middle- and back-office client services and the formation of the firm’s New Ventures Group to drive innovation at scale and expand its addressable market.
All these components are captured in the Aon United Blueprint, which enables Aon to maximize colleague opportunity and client value while driving sustainable growth with increased operating leverage.
“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.”
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. 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.
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.
“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’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.”
Case also singled out the distinguished career of O’Connor and the contributions that Caffrey made to the firm.
“Mike was an early advocate of Aon United and has built a lasting legacy in his time at Aon,” Case said. “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 added, “I’d also like to recognize Liam Caffrey for his contributions to the firm. 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.”
All the changes announced will be effective March 1.
About Aon
Aon plc is a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions. Our 50,000 colleagues in 120 countries empower results for clients by using proprietary data and analytics to deliver insights that reduce volatility and improve performance.