SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section13 or 15(d) of the securities exchange act of 1934
Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): February 13, 2003
WILLIS GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
BERMUDA 001-16503 13-5160382
(Jurisdiction of incorporation (Commission File (IRS Employer
or organization) Number) Identification
No.)
Ten Trinity Square
London EC3P 3AX, England
(Address of principal executive offices)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: +44 20 7488 8111
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
ITEM 5: OTHER EVENTS
On February 13, 2003, Willis Group Holdings Limited issued a press release
announcing the appointment of Douglas B. Roberts to its Board of Directors.
ITEM 7: FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
(c) The following document is filed as an exhibit to this report on Form
8-K:
99.1 Press Release dated February 13, 2003, of Willis Group Holdings
Limited
Exhibit 99.1
Willis Group Appoints Douglas B. Roberts, Former Michigan Treasurer, to Board of
Directors
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 13, 2003--Willis Group Holdings
Limited (NYSE:WSH), the global insurance broker, today announced the
appointment of Douglas B. Roberts, the Former Treasurer of the State
of Michigan, to its Board of Directors. He will chair the Audit
Committee.
Roberts, 55, served two terms as Michigan Treasurer -- from
January 1991 to November 1998 and again from April 2001 to December
2002. Appointed by Governor John Engler, Roberts directed the state's
revenue and cash positions during a period of rebirth in Michigan's
finances and economy which included five ratings upgrades.
During his tenure, Roberts fought for changes in state policy on
taxation, took the Detroit City School District to task over how it
was managing a bond program and oversaw dramatic improvements after a
long period of economic uncertainty. On his watch, Michigan's four
state pension funds -- for teachers, state employees, judges and state
police officers -- more than doubled in combined size. Further, when
he left the office in 1998, the pensions were fully funded, which
wasn't the case eight years earlier.
Welcoming Roberts to the Board, Joe Plumeri, Chairman and CEO
said, "Doug Roberts' list of accomplishments as Michigan's Treasurer
is impressive. With broad public and private sector experience,
extraordinary financial expertise and unquestionable independence and
integrity, Doug is highly qualified to join our Board and chair the
Audit Committee.
"By all account, Willis is a leader in the insurance marketplace,"
said Roberts. "I am impressed with Joe Plumeri's track record of
building great companies and doing so with integrity and a strong
management team. He seems to be on that same path here with Willis and
I am pleased and honored to be joining Willis."
Topping Roberts' list of accomplishments is a major school finance
reform package passed by voters in 1994 which reigned in growth in
property tax rates and shifted responsibility for funding schools from
over 500 local school districts to the state government by raising the
state sales tax and capping property tax increases at the local level.
From January 1999 to March 2001, between his two stints as
Treasurer, Roberts served Lockheed Martin as Vice President of
Business Development and separately of Best Practices. Prior to his
first appointment as Michigan Treasurer, Roberts served the State as
Director of the Senate Fiscal Agency.
Roberts holds a BA in Economics from The University of Maryland as
well as an MA and Ph.D. in Economics from Michigan State University.
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. With over 300 offices in more than 80 countries, its global
team of 13,000 associates serves clients in some 180 countries. Willis
is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
WSH. Additional information on Willis may be found on its Web site:
www.willis.com.
CONTACT: Willis Group Holdings Limited, New York
Kerry Calaiaro (investors), 212/837-0880
E-mail: calaiaro_ke@willis.com
or
Nick Jones (media), + 44 20 7488-8190
E-mail: jonesnr@willis.com
or
Dan Prince (media), 212/837-0806
E-mail: prince_da@willis.com
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
WILLIS GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED
By: /s/ Mary E. Caiazzo
--------------------------------
Mary E. Caiazzo
Assistant General Counsel
Date: February 13, 2003