Willis Executive Named to Business Insurance’s Distinguished 2011 “Women to Watch” List
NEW YORK, December 5, 2011 – Willis Group Holdings (NYSE:WSH), the global insurance broker, today announced that
Sharon Edwards, Chief Financial Officer, Willis North America, has been named to the 2011 “Women to
Watch” list by Business Insurance magazine.
The sixth annual “Women to Watch” report recognizes a group of 25 high-profile executives who are leading
the way in insurance, reinsurance, risk management and employee benefits. Candidates were selected based on leadership,
professional achievements and market influence.
Based in Nashville, TN, Ms. Edwards is responsible for all aspects of Willis North America’s finance functions,
including transactional accounting, financial planning and analysis, reporting, and the financial operations of each region within
North America. Willis North America is the largest business unit of Willis Group Holdings, reporting $1.35
billion revenue in 2010, and employing more than 6,000 associates. Ms. Edwards is also a member
of the Willis Chairman’s Council, the Willis North America Board of Directors and The Willis Foundation
Board of Directors.
Ms. Edwards joined Willis in 1991 and has served in a variety of leadership roles including Chief
Administrative Officer of Willis North America, Director of Financial Operations of Willis North America, Regional Operations
Officer of the Central Region and North American Controller. Additionally, she played a critical role leading
the financial and accounting integration of Willis North America and HRH following Willis’ 2008 acquisition of
HRH.
Commenting on the award, Vic Krauze, Chairman and CEO of Willis North America, said “Sharon is a
valuable member of our leadership team and a fantastic role model within Willis. She possesses a
powerful combination of talents, including financial and operational expertise that is helping to drive our growth
engine in North America.” “It is a terrific honor to have one of Willis’ top female
executives recognized as an industry leader,” said Michael Neborak, Chief Financial Officer of Willis Group Holdings.
“Finance plays a critical role in the insurance industry and Sharon is very deserving of this
award.”
Ms. Edwards is profiled in the December 5 issue of Business Insurance’s Women to Watch 2011. An
awards luncheon will be held December 6 at the New York Hilton in New York City.
Business Insurance is a news magazine and web site reporting on commercial insurance, risk management and employee
benefits weekly in print and daily online. Its readers include professional risk managers, benefit managers and
financial executives representing a variety of industries and public entities, as well as executives in the
commercial insurance industry.
About Willis
Willis Group Holdings plc is a leading global insurance broker. Through its subsidiaries, Willis develops and delivers
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 400 offices in nearly 120 countries,
with a global team of approximately 17,000 employees serving clients in virtually every part of the
world. Additional information on Willis may be found at www.willis.com.
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