ARLINGTON, VA:
Willis Towers Watson, announced that its board of directors has unanimously selected Carl Hess as the company’s new president and next chief executive officer (CEO).
Hess, who currently serves as Willis Towers Watson’s Head of Investment, Risk and Reinsurance business segment, will immediately assume the president role and succeed John Haley, upon his retirement, as CEO on January 1, 2022.
Hess is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and the Conference of Consulting Actuaries, and a Chartered Enterprise Risk Analyst. He has a B.A. cum laude in logic and language from Yale University.
“Following a thorough, multi-year succession planning process, including input from a third-party consultant to assess the experience and attributes of potential internal and external candidates, the Board is confident Carl is the right person to guide the company forward,” said Victor Ganzi, Chairman.
“Carl is an exceptional leader with a strong track record of delivering results, depth of experience and understanding across Willis Towers Watson’s various businesses and a proven ability to bring together and motivate colleagues across the company to deliver value for clients and shareholders. We look forward to his continued contributions as president and future CEO.''
“I’m honored by the opportunity to lead this exceptional company of talented, resilient and dedicated colleagues,” said Hess. “I am excited to fulfill our purpose for the benefit of our clients and all of our stakeholders: to create clarity and confidence today for a more sustainable tomorrow. ”
Hess began his career at the company in 1989 and has held diverse leadership positions spanning business segment and geography roles. Prior to his current role, Hess served as co-leader of North America at Willis Towers Watson and before that, managing director, the Americas, of Towers Watson.