Willis Re Director Appointed to Natural Environment Research Council
- The City Gains Voice on UK Environmental Science Policy-
London, UK, September 09, 2008 - Willis Re, the reinsurance arm of global broker
Willis Group Holdings (NYSE:WSH), said today that Rowan Douglas, Managing
Director of Analytics for Willis Re’s International and Specialty divisions and
Chairman of the Willis Research Network, has been appointed to the Natural
Environment Research Council (NERC) by UK Science Minister Ian Pearson.
Douglas’s appointment underscores the growing trend of the business and scientific
communities working more closely together on the issue of global climate change.
With an annual budget of around £400 million, NERC is the largest funder of worldclass
environmental science research in UK universities and its own research
centres. Its strategic goal is to deliver world-leading environmental research at the
frontiers of knowledge, enabling society to respond to global climate change and the
increasing pressures on natural resources. It contributes to UK leadership in
predicting the regional and local impacts of environmental change, and creates and
supports integrated research communities.
Mr Douglas leads the international analytical group at Willis, which evaluates the
frequency, severity and impact of natural disasters and develops private and public
sector approaches to share the costs of extreme events across populations. He is
also Chairman of the Willis Research Network, the world’s largest collaboration
between academia and the insurance industry, sponsoring posts in atmospheric,
hydrological and seismic risk at universities throughout Europe, North America and
Asia-Pacific.
Ed Wallis, Chairman of NERC, said, “Mr Douglas’ years of dealing with knowledge
exchange and the financial services industry, along with the other new members,
brings a range of diverse skills and expertise that will help us to deliver our strategic
goals.”
Rowan Douglas commented, “Science and the City are two of the UK’s leading
strengths and it is a privilege to be appointed to NERC to help advance the working
relationship between the two communities. Environmental and financial systems are
intricately interconnected with natural catastrophes and environmental change. In
the context of the growing social and economic challenges in living with
environmental change, we should align the work of these two communities wherever
appropriate. I look forward to bringing knowledge and experience gained from the
insurance industry to the Council.”
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.
Full details of the announcement are available at http://www.nerc.ac.uk/press/releases/2008/45-council.asp
Details on NERC may be found at
http://www.nerc.ac.uk/publications/corporate/documents/nercfacts08.pdf