Willis Launches North American Yacht Practice, Names Practice Team
New York, NY, August 6, 2008 - Willis Group Holdings (NYSE: WSH), the global insurance
broker, today announced the launch of a North American Yacht practice within its Marine Group,
and appointed a practice leader and team. The new practice will serve the insurance needs of
the owners of North America’s most prestigious luxury yachts, and will be based in Fort
Lauderdale, Fla.
To head the team, Willis named Nancy Poppe Senior Vice President, North American Yacht
Practice Leader. She will report to Brian Fuller, CEO Willis Marine, Willis North America.
Poppe brings more than 13 years of experience to her new position. She entered the insurance
industry as a commercial property and casualty generalist in 1988, and joined Marsh Yacht in
1995, heading the practice for the last 10 years. Together with Shawn Kucharski, Vice
President of Hull, Marine North America, Willis now has one of the most recognizable yacht
teams in North America.
Reporting to Poppe are Christel Mohr and Diana Fabozzi, both Vice Presidents in the practice.
Mohr spent five years with Marsh Yacht and the past year as office head in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
She joined Marsh after completing her MBA, including international studies and residency in
Spain. Fabozzi has spent 10 years with Marsh Yacht. She handled Marsh’s largest and most
complex clients and has a reputation in the industry as having set new standards for service and
expertise. The fourth member of the team is Kathy Shea, also formerly with Marsh.
Commenting on the appointments, Fuller said, “We look forward to leveraging Nancy’s industryleading
expertise to provide our clients with dedicated yacht risk management and insurance
capabilities in North America. As the world’s largest Marine insurance broker, we are now able
to offer unparalleled risk management and claims services to the yacht industry around the
world.”
Willis Marine’s Yacht practice currently handles insurance for more than 20 of the world’s 100
largest luxury yachts. Willis is also the broker of choice to some of the largest fleets and yacht
managers in the world. The new North American Yacht practice will serve as the hub for North
American clients. Together with Willis’ London team led by Mark Feltham, Willis Marine’s Yacht
practice is uniquely positioned to offer outstanding services and choice to its clients worldwide.
Willis Group Holdings Limited is a leading global insurance broker, developing and
delivering 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 300 offices in some 100 countries,
with a global team of approximately 16,000 Associates serving clients in some 190
countries. Additional information on Willis may be found at www.willis.com