• Joseph J. Plumeri
  • William W. Bradley
  • Joseph A. Califano, Jr.
  • Anna C. Catalano
  • Sir Roy Gardner
  • The Rt. Hon. Sir Jeremy Hanley, KCMG
  • Robyn S. Kravit
  • Jeffrey B. Lane
  • Wendy E. Lane
  • James F. McCann
  • Douglas B. Roberts
  • Michael J. Somers

Joseph J. Plumeri

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Willis Group Holdings plc

Joe Plumeri is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Willis Group Holdings plc. Under Joe's leadership, Willis has strengthened its position as one of the world’s leading insurance brokers through sector-leading organic growth and operating margins, strategic expansion, a dedication to transparency and passionate client service. Appointed in October 2000, when Willis was privately owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Joe successfully returned the company to public ownership in 2001. In 2008, he spearheaded Willis' $2.1 billion acquisition of Hilb Rogal & Hobbs (HRH), the largest insurance brokerage deal in the last decade.

During his tenure, Joe has cultivated a “One Flag” culture of teamwork centered on the Client Advocate® model and Glocal service, delivering the breadth of Willis’ global expertise through more than 400 local offices in nearly 120 countries. Those offices include The Willis Building in London, opened in 2008, and Willis Tower in Chicago (formerly known as Sears Tower), which was renamed in 2009. Willis Tower is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

Joe has been a leader in the insurance industry in an era of unprecedented change. Over the last decade, he has pressed for greater transparency, client service and innovation throughout the industry. He has led the fight against contingent commissions, the controversial year-end bonuses insurance companies pay brokers for increasing premium volume and profitability – payments which can lead to conflicts of interest. In 2004, Willis became the first and only insurance broker to abolish the practice of accepting contingent commissions for retail clients and the first to establish a Client Bill of Rights.

In recognition of these efforts, St. John’s University School of Risk Management named Joe 2006 Insurance Leader of the Year. In 2009 and 2010, Joe was named to Treasury & Risk magazine’s list of “100 Most Influential People in Finance.”

Prior to joining Willis, Joe had a 32-year career at Citigroup and its predecessor companies. As CEO of Citibank North America, Joe led the integration of the consumer businesses at Citicorp and Travelers Group. Joe also served as Chairman and CEO of Travelers Primerica Financial Services, Vice Chairman of the Travelers Group, and President and Managing Partner of Shearson Lehman Brothers.

An active and committed community leader, Joe has been honored by numerous civic and philanthropic organizations, including the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation in 2009 for his impact on the reputation of the insurance industry, and by the Jackie Robinson Foundation in 2010 for his career achievements. He also has been honored by the Sons of Italy Foundation, the Intrepid Foundation, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, among others.

Among his many philanthropic endeavors, Joe funded the construction of the Samuel & Josephine Plumeri Wishing Place, the headquarters of the New Jersey Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The facility was named in honor of his parents with a $2 million gift – the largest single contribution from an individual donor in the history of the organization. Joe also contributed more than $1 million to the College of St. Rose in Albany, New York, for the development of the school’s new sports complex, named in honor of his late son, Christian.

Joe currently serves on the boards of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, Mount Sinai Medical Center, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and American Friends of the Churchill Museum in London. A sports fan and lifelong athlete, Joe was Commissioner of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority from 1997 to 2004. He also is co-owner of two New Jersey minor league baseball teams – the Trenton Thunder, the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, and the Lakewood BlueClaws, the Single-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Born in Trenton, NJ, Joe received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history and education from The College of William and Mary and also attended New York Law School.

Jeffrey B. Lane

Mr. Lane brings more than 40 years of financial experience to Willis. He is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bear Stearns Asset Management and was previously Vice Chairman of Lehman Brothers, Co–Chairman of Lehman Brothers Asset Management and Alternatives Division, and Chairman of Neuberger Berman Inc. He has also held senior management positions with Travelers Group, including Vice Chairman of the company’s Smith Barney division, and with Shearson Lehman Brothers.

Mr. Lane is a graduate of New York University and holds an MBA from the Columbia University Graduate School of Business. He is a Director of the North Shore/Long Island Jewish Health System and Chairman of its Finance Committee, and a Director of the National Academy of Finance.

William W. Bradley

Senator William W. Bradley, age 64, joined the Board on September 18, 2002. He is a Managing Director of Allen & Company LLC. From 2001-2004 he acted as chief outside advisor to McKinsey & Company’s non-profit practice. Senator Bradley is also currently a director of Starbucks Corp. and Seagate Technology. He was a Senior Advisor and Vice Chairman of the International Council of JP Morgan & Co., Inc. from 1997-1999. During that time, he also worked as an essayist for CBS evening news, a visiting professor at Stanford University, Notre Dame University and the University of Maryland. Senator Bradley served in the U.S. Senate from 1979-1997 representing the state of New Jersey. In 2000, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. Prior to serving in the Senate, he was an Olympic gold medalist in 1964 and a professional basketball player with the New York Knicks from 1967-1977 during which time they won two NBA championships. Senator Bradley holds a BA degree in American History from Princeton University and an MA degree from Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He has authored six books on American politics, culture and economy. Currently, Senator Bradley hosts American Voices, a weekly show on Sirius Satellite Radio that highlights the remarkable accomplishments of Americans both famous and unknown.

Joseph A. Califano, Jr.

Mr. Califano, age 76, joined the Board on April 21, 2004. He has been Chairman of the Board and President of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University in New York City since 1992. Mr. Califano has served as Adjunct Professor of Public Health at Columbia University’s Medical School and School of Public Health since 1992 and is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Mr. Califano was senior partner of the Washington, D.C. office of the law firm Dewey Ballantine from 1983 to 1992. Mr. Califano served as the United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare from 1977 to 1979, and he served as President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Assistant for Domestic Affairs from 1965 to 1969. He is the author of eleven books and is a Director of Midway Games Inc. and CBS, Inc.

Anna C. Catalano

Ms. Catalano, age 48, joined the Board on July 21, 2006. From 2001 to 2003 she was Group Vice President, Marketing for BP p.l.c. Prior to that she held various executive positions in BP and Amoco, including BP Group Vice President, Emerging Markets; Amoco’s Senior Vice President, Sales and Operations; and President, Amoco Orient Oil Company. In addition to frequently speaking on strategic marketing and global branding, Ms Catalano is a forthright leader on the mentoring and the advancement of women in business and in recognition of her efforts she was recognized by Fortune Magazine in 2001 as being among "The Most Powerful Women in International Business". She currently serves on the Boards of SSL International plc and Hercules Incorporated, and is also a director of the Gulf Coast Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Ms. Catalano holds a BS degree in Business Administration from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.

Sir Roy Gardner

Sir Roy Gardner, age 62, joined the Board on April 26, 2006. He is a Chartered Certified Accountant and currently Chairman of Compass Group PLC, a position he has held since July 1, 2006. Also, he has been a Senior Advisor to Credit Suisse since July 2006. Sir Roy joined the board of Compass Group PLC as the senior independent non-executive director in October 2005. Prior to July 1, 2006 he was Chief Executive of Centrica plc, a position he held since 1997, prior to which he served as Finance Director of British Gas plc. He is a former Chairman of Manchester United plc, Managing Director of GEC-Marconi Ltd, Director of GEC plc and of Laporte. Sir Roy is President of Carers UK and Chairman of the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network.

The Rt. Hon. Sir Jeremy Hanley, KCMG

Sir Jeremy Hanley, age 62, joined the Board on April 26, 2006. He is a Chartered Accountant and a director of CSS Stellar plc, ITE Group plc, Onslow Suffolk Limited, Langbar International Limited and, until August 2006, GTECH Holdings Corporation Inc., when he became a consultant to Lottomatica S.p.A. He is also a Director of the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Advisory Board of Blue Hackle Limited. Sir Jeremy was a Member of Parliament for Richmond and Barnes from 1983 to 1997 and held a number of ministerial position in the UK Government, including Under Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Cabinet Minister without Portfolio whilst Chairman of the Conservative Party and Minister of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs. He retired from politics in 1998.

Wendy E. Lane

Ms. Lane, age 56, joined the Board on April 21, 2004. She has been Chairman of Lane Holdings, Inc., an investment firm, since 1992. Prior to forming Lane Holdings, Inc., Ms. Lane was a Principal and Managing Director of Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette Securities Corporation, an investment banking firm, serving in these and other positions from 1981 to 1992. Ms. Lane is also a Director of Laboratory Corporation of America and of UPM-Kymmene Corporation. She is also a Trustee of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation. Ms. Lane holds a BA from Wellesley College and a MBA from Harvard Business School.

James F. McCann

Mr. McCann, age 56, joined the Board on April 21, 2004. Mr. McCann has served since 1976 as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. He also serves on the Board of Lottomatica S.p.A.

Douglas B. Roberts

Mr. Roberts, age 60, joined the Board on February 13, 2003. He is the former Treasurer for the State of Michigan, a position held from April 2001 to December 2002 and from January 1991 to November 1998. From January 1999 to March 2001 he was Vice President of the Business Development and Best Practices at Lockheed Martin IMS. Prior to January 1991, Mr. Roberts worked in the Michigan Senate as Director, Senate Fiscal Agency from April 1988 to December 1990 and as Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction for the Department of Education. Mr. Roberts holds a doctorate in Economics from Michigan State University. Currently, Mr. Roberts is both a Professor and the Director for the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University.

Robyn S. Kravit

Ms. Kravit, age 57 is an international business executive with over 26 years of experience in establishing and directing significant China-based operations engaged in the international trading of industrial raw materials. Ms. Kravit co-founded Tethys Research LLC, a biotechnology start-up company, and has acted as its Chief Executive Officer since 2000. Ms. Kravit is a Director of FONZ, the organization which manages commercial and educational activities for Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park. In addition, she serves on the Advisory Council of Johns Hopkins University’s Whiting School of Engineering and is a member of the Board of Governors of the Washington Foreign Law Society. Ms. Kravit holds a BA in East Asian Studies from Vassar College, and a MA in East Asian Studies from Harvard University.

Michael J. Somers

Dr. Somers, age 67, was Chief Executive Officer of the Irish National Treasury Management Agency from 1990, when it was established, until the end of 2009. The Agency, which is a commercial entity outside the public administration, was initially set up to arrange Ireland’s borrowing and manage its National Debt. Its remit was extended to establish and manage the National Pensions Reserve Fund, of which he was a Commissioner, and the National Development Agency, of which he was Chairman. It also incorporated the State Claims Agency, which handles claims against the State and against hospitals and other medical institutions. He previously worked in the Irish Department of Finance and the Central Bank and served as Secretary General of the Department of Defence from 1985 to 1987. He was the Irish member of the EU Monetary Committee from 1987 to 1990 and chaired the EU group that established the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He served on the board of the Irish Stock Exchange until the end of 2009. He is currently the Irish Director on the Board of the European Investment Bank and also serves on the Boards of Allied Irish Banks plc, St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group Ltd., the Institute of Directors and is a Council member of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. He was awarded the honour of Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur by the President of France. Dr. Somers is also in the process of joining the Board of Hewlett Packard International Bank in Dublin. He holds B. Comm, M.Econ.Sc and Ph.D degrees from University College Dublin.

Willis In History

Did you know Bray, Gibb & Co, the pre-eminent aviation insurance broker before World War I, was Samuel Cody's broker, the first man to fly a powered aircraft in the UK?