Marsh has appointed Shawn Willis as captive strategy leader for Pacific in a newly created role, the broker announced on Monday.
“This is a newly created role focused entirely on helping our clients evaluate, optimise, and build long-term captive strategies aligned to their risk and business objectives,” Marsh said.
Based in Sydney, Willis has more than two decades of experience with Marsh. He most recently served as practice leader and previously worked for the broker between 1990 and 1995 before rejoining in 2006 as managing principal.
“Shawn brings deep experience advising large and complex clients on risk financing and alternative risk transfer and will bring Marsh’s global resources and capabilities to the conversation,” Marsh added.
Between his two periods at Marsh, Willis spent nearly a decade at WTW, where he held the role of account director.
The appointment comes as interest in captives and alternative risk-financing structures grows across Asia Pacific. The Japanese government most recently announced plans for introducing policies to support the use of captives and other alternative risk-financing mechanisms.
Similar efforts are underway elsewhere in Asia, including the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s July consultation on introducing a new protected cell company structure, while Hong Kong’s Insurance Authority has also vowed to foster “a robust captive ecosystem”.
Against this backdrop, Zurich Insurance recently created an APAC multinational and captives leadership role and appointed Dylan Bryant to lead the function.
Industry experts at the PARIMA Conference earlier this month said that while corporates across Asia are establishing more captive insurers, a shortage of local expertise continues to constrain growth.
