Willis Towers Watson Responds to Demand for Bespoke Investment Services With Enhanced Integrated Insurance, Investment Offering

LONDON, England, April 5 -- Towers Watson, an advisory, broking and solutions company, issued the following news release:

Willis Towers Watson has today announced the transfer of its UK Insurance Investment Solutions Group (IISG) to the company's Insurance Consulting and Technology (ICT) UK Life business from 1 April 2018. The move is designed to ensure the consultancy remains well placed to help P&C and Life insurers optimise their investment portfolios in a highly regulated, competitive and low-return environment.

Marcus Bowser, Sales & Practice Leader, UK Life Consulting at Willis Towers Watson, said: "Insurers are grappling with a continued low-yield environment and shifting regulations, driving changes to their asset strategies, business models and risk appetite. While these changes have created some obstacles for insurers, they also represent an opportunity to consider how best to enhance their returns in a risk controlled and capital efficient way."

According to Willis Towers Watson, persistent external factors that are increasing demand for better asset allocation to raise investment yields include:

* Market outlook of risks are skewed to the downside over the medium term

* Solvency II and Prudent Person Principle - have forced more focus on and a deeper understanding of requirements for the management of insurer's assets and investment risk

* Regulatory developments - such as MIFID II and PRIIPs are increasing the complexity of investment management for insurers

* Product innovation - driven by the need to enhance yields on investment products

* Increased systemic market risk - due to global linkage of markets through technology leading to more volatile outcomes

* Sustainable investment - becoming a significant and more visible topic for many insurers with reputational risks from being left behind

Keith Goodby, Head of Insurance Investment Solutions Group at Willis Towers Watson, said: "Whilst ensuring the IISG retains its unique offering and close links with the Investment business, transferring to the ICT business will offer tighter integration of our insurance and investment capabilities, driving efficiencies in the service and the ability to uniquely develop Willis Towers Watson's investment proposition for insurers."

About Insurance Investment Solutions Group

The IISG provides a range of investment services to both P&C and Life insurers. These include setting strategic investment objectives, strategic asset allocation, asset liability management, hedging review and solutions, internal model validation, investment management organisational design, establishing risk tolerance and improving governance.

About Insurance Consulting and Technology

Willis Towers Watson's Insurance Consulting & Technology business has over 1,200 colleagues operating in 35 markets worldwide. It is a leading provider of advice, solutions and software - primarily to the insurance industry. Its consulting services help clients manage risk and capital, improve business performance and create competitive advantage - by focusing on financial and regulatory reporting, enterprise risk and capital management, M&A and corporate restructuring, products, pricing, business management and strategy.

About Willis Towers Watson

Willis Towers Watson (NASDAQ: WLTW) is a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company that helps clients around the world turn risk into a path for growth. With roots dating to 1828, Willis Towers Watson has over 40,000 employees serving in more than 140 countries. We design and deliver solutions that manage risk, optimise benefits, cultivate talent, and expand the power of capital to protect and strengthen institutions and individuals. Our unique perspective allows us to see the critical intersections between talent, assets and ideas -- the dynamic formula that drives business performance.