Two Aon Execs Join Willis

By Mark E. Ruquet

NU Online News Service, Oct. 6, 2:20 p.m.EST?Willis Group Holdings continues to draw talent fromthe major brokerage firms, announcing the appointment of twolong-term Aon executives in a new New York office.[@@]

The London-headquartered insurance broker said Michael Bernsteinhas joined Willis as senior vice president and office leader for anew office location on Long Island, N.Y.

According to Willis, Mr. Bernstein was a senior vice presidentin the Long Island office of Aon Risk Services for the past 25years.

Willis said he will be responsible for developing and executinga strategy to make the firm the number one broker on Long Island.He will be joined by Steve Larking, formerly a senior vicepresident with Aon for 20 years, as vice president, to work withMr. Bernstein in developing the new office.

Aon is one of several brokers to be hit with subpoenas by NewYork Attorney General Eliot Spitzer in a probe of contingent feecommissions.

The Chicago-based Aon, the second largest broker in the worldbehind New York City-based Marsh, has been the subject ofspeculation concerning possible legal action by Mr. Spitzer sincehe filed suit against Marsh & McLennan, Marsh's parent company,for price fixing.

Willis has also received subpoenas in that inquiry and isregarded as the third largest broker in the world.

In a recent interview with the Chicago Tribune, Mr. Ryan, Aon'schairman and chief executive officer, said his people do not engagein steering of insurance contracts, which Marsh is accused of, andthat he is comfortable with the firm's behavior in the face of theinvestigation.

In a statement late Monday, Mr. Ryan sought to clarify hiscomments. He said that while the vast majority of employees upholdthe firm's code of conduct, Aon has found "indications that someemployees have not always followed those principals." The firm wenton to say that it did not wish to prejudge the investigations,which it is cooperating in, and it is continuing its own internalreview "to identify improper behavior and take appropriateaction."

Mr. Ryan is retiring as Aon's CEO, but plans to remain aschairman.